First official portrait of Britain's King Charles III unveiled in London

The first official portrait of British King Charles III since his Coronation has been unveiled at Buckingham Palace.

The portrait, by British artist Jonathan Yeo, depicts the monarch wearing the uniform of the Welsh Guards, of which he was a Regimental Colonel in 1975. A butterfly, depicted just above his shoulder, adds a symbolic touch to the composition.

"Much like the butterfly I've painted hovering over his shoulder, this portrait has evolved as the subject's role in our public life has transformed," news agency Reuters quoted the artist Yeo, who has previously painted Charles' late father, Prince Philip.

"Yeo further stated, "My aim was also to make reference to the traditions of Royal portraiture but in a way that reflects a 21st Century Monarchy and, above all else, to communicate the subject's deep humanity.”

The portrait was commissioned in 2020 to celebrate the then Prince of Wales’s 50 years as a member of The Drapers’ Company in 2022.

According to Buckingham Palace, the oil on canvas artwork, which measures about 8-1/2 by 6-1/2 feet, is expected to be displayed at Drapers' Hall in the City of London from the end of August.

Earlier this month, the Bank of England presented the King with its first set of banknotes bearing the 75-year-old monarch’s portrait, which features a significant departure from tradition. It was seen as a historic moment as it marked the first time the Bank of England has changed the image of the British monarch on a banknote since King Charles’ late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, appeared on a Bank of England note in 1960.

Charles III ascended to the throne in September 2022 following the death of Queen Elizabeth.

The coronation of Charles III and his wife, Camilla, as king and queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms, took place in May 2023.