In a much-anticipated reveal, King Charles III’s first official portrait since becoming king has sparked widespread conversation. Public reactions and critics’ opinions are far from mild, igniting lively debates on social media and among art enthusiasts. It’s evident that King Charles’ portrait is poised to be one of the most discussed royal artworks in recent memory.
Revealing the artwork
Recently, King Charles III revealed a new portrait of himself at Buckingham Palace, marking the first since his coronation. The Royal Family’s Instagram account posted an exclusive video showing the king presenting the artwork.
This notable portrait will eventually be showcased at Drapers’ Hall in London, joining its esteemed art collection and providing the public with a chance to see the monarch’s regal image.
The comments section quickly became a hotbed of debate.
The unveiling ignited a heated debate in the comments on the Royal Family’s Instagram post and other social media platforms. Opinions were sharply divided, with some users harshly criticizing the portrait. Comments included, “I would be very upset and offended if this was my royal portrait. It looks like a floating head in a sea of red. This is awful. Horrendous.”
One person said, “This is terrifying. Red is ALWAYS a bad sign unless it’s roses. This looks like a blood bath,” while another added, “It looks like it’s on fire.”
Despite the negative feedback, there were also positive remarks such as, “I love the portrait. It’s beautiful.” These mixed reactions highlight the polarizing nature of the portrait and the strong emotions it has stirred among the public.
What it actually represents
Jonathan Yeo, a well-known artist renowned for his innovative style in painting people, has gained praise for his ability to merge classic techniques with new ideas in portraiture. Yeo’s method involves more than just painting what someone looks like; he delves deep into the personalities of his subjects to capture their true essence.
In his latest work portraying King Charles III, Yeo stayed true to this approach. He aimed to strip away any distractions in the painting, focusing solely on allowing viewers to connect with the person behind the royal title. By spending time with the king and understanding him on a personal level, Yeo was able to create a portrait that goes beyond surface appearances and reveals the human within.
In Yeo’s portrait of King Charles III, one striking detail is the presence of a butterfly. This butterfly isn’t just a random addition; it holds deep symbolism and serves multiple purposes. Yeo explained that beyond representing the beauty of nature, the butterfly also highlights the environmental causes that the King has long supported, even before they became widely discussed.
Moreover, the butterfly adds visual interest to the portrait, breaking the uniformity and adding layers of meaning. In art history, butterflies often symbolize transformation and renewal, mirroring the King’s journey from Prince to monarch during the time the portrait was painted. This choice underscores the significant changes in King Charles’s life.
Yeo expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to create such an important portrait, “To try and capture that for His Majesty The King, who occupies such a unique role, was both a tremendous professional challenge and one which I thoroughly enjoyed and am immensely grateful for.”
Explore King Charles III’s life in-depth with 8 Things About King Charles III That Will Help Us Understand Him Better. Delve beyond his royal image to uncover intriguing insights into his interests, personal stories, and distinctive characteristics.
Elderly Woman Celebrates Christmas Alone after Her Children Find Out She Is a Cleaner – Story of the Day
Victoria’s children were too busy to call her most of the time, except for Christmas. But this year, her son discovered she was a cleaner at a store and stopped communicating with her altogether. Victoria thought she would have to spend the holidays alone until she heard a surprising knock on her door.
Victoria was holding a broom tightly in her hands, but she had stopped cleaning abruptly because of the man who walked into the furniture store where she worked. It was her son, Matthew, staring at her with intense wide eyes and a shocked expression. Victoria smiled and started walking towards him, but he turned around and ran out of the store.
She was surprised by his reaction. Matthew had always been a mama’s boy. But things always change as children get older, Victoria thought. She resolved to talk to him later and continued her job.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
When her husband died ten years ago, her children, Matthew and Marina, suggested selling their big house and getting her a tiny apartment, which would be easier to maintain. They wanted to use the rest of the money to start their respective businesses.
Eventually, their endeavors took off, and they got so busy they could barely contact their mother every once in a while. But the holidays were coming up, and sadly, Victoria realized that her retirement money was not enough for her to live, much less buy presents for her children and grandchildren.
So, at 65 years old, she started working as a cleaner at a furniture store at the mall. The work was not that hard, and she was still young enough to do it. With her job, she had enough money to pay her bills and had even bought all kinds of presents for everyone. However, she had not told her kids about it, afraid of how they might react.
It seemed like keeping quiet was the best option, especially after seeing how Matthew seemed embarrassed seeing her. Still, she called him to explain everything.
“I’m sorry, mother. I’m busy right now. Can I call you later?” Matthew said that night when Victoria called to explain. She worried and bit her bottom lip with her teeth.
“But, honey. About today—” she replied.
“Bye, mother,” her son said more forcefully, and the line went dead.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
She couldn’t figure out what was going on. Matthew’s reaction seemed like an exaggeration. Being a cleaner was nothing to be ashamed of, it’s honest work. Therefore, Victoria decided to call her daughter and see if she knew why her son was acting so weird.
“Mom, I’m busy. I’ll call you later,” Marina said as soon as she picked up Victoria’s call. The older woman couldn’t even get a word in.
“It doesn’t matter. I’ll see them at Christmas and explain everything,” she said to herself and continued with her night.
Unfortunately, none of them had called her to settle things for the holiday. They always celebrated at one of their houses, but Victoria had no idea which of her kids was hosting the celebration this year. They hadn’t called back as they promised either, and she was starting to worry.
Two days before Christmas, she sat down with her neighbor, Lorena Atkinson, and unloaded all her worries. “I’m sure they’ll call soon enough, Vickie,” her friend said after hearing the entire story. The two sat in Victoria’s living room, eating cookies and sipping coffee.
“I don’t know. They’ve never acted this way. They are not answering my calls anymore. I don’t understand why. I’m not doing anything wrong. What if they don’t invite me for Christmas? What will I do?” Victoria asked, holding her cup a little tighter as the anxious thoughts took hold.
“Don’t worry. If they don’t invite you, you’ll come to my house. But I honestly don’t get it either. There’s nothing wrong with your job,” Lorena added, popping a cookie in her mouth.
Lorena, who was around the same age as Victoria, lived in the penthouse of Victoria’s apartment building. Her whole family gathered in her home because it had so much room, so Christmas at her house would be fun.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
But Victoria wanted to spend the holidays with her family. This situation was so hard. Why are they acting this way? Why are they icing me out? she worried, despite Lorena’s kind words.
The two women finished their coffee, and Lorena left, promising that everything would be alright and giving her friend a warm hug. Sadly, Christmas morning came, and there was still no call from Marina or Matthew. Victoria cried that entire morning. She looked at the presents under her tree and grew sad as she went to cook her breakfast.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. It’s probably Lorena. I guess I’ll have to accept her invitation to Christmas dinner, Victoria thought gloomily, walking towards her door.
“Surprise!” her kids and grandkids yelled at the door. Victoria clutched her chest, startled, but smiled immediately. “What? What are you doing here?”
“We’re here to see you, Grandma! This year, we’re spending the whole Christmas day here!” Marina’s daughter, Elizabeth, yelled in excitement, walking in with a huge gift box. She was ten years old and the oldest of her grandchildren. The other four ranged between nine to five years old, and they all rushed into the apartment, going directly for the presents under her tree.
“Everyone, calm down. Let’s get settled first, and Grandma will give you your gifts,” Marina called to all the children and then focused on her mother. “Mom, hey. Sorry, we didn’t call earlier. But this was sort of unplanned.”
“Oh, don’t worry. Come in. Come in!” Victoria replied, using her hands to urge the adults inside. Marina’s husband entered behind her, and then Matthew’s wife came in, giving her a big hug.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
Matthew came in last and made eye contact with his mother. Victoria looked up at her son, and tears almost welled in her eyes. Then he pulled her in for another big hug and held on for a long time.
“I’m so sorry, Mom. I… I don’t know what came over me when I saw you at that store,” he said, not letting go of his mother.
Victoria was all too happy to keep holding her son. “Were you ashamed of me?” “At first, I thought it was that. I couldn’t believe my mother was a cleaning lady. But then, after I received that call from your neighbor, I realized that I was more embarrassed with myself,” Matthew answered.
“What? My neighbor?” Victoria asked, pulling a bit away to look into her son’s eyes. “Yes, Mrs. Atkinson. She said she lives in this building. We met when you moved, and I gave her my contact information in case of emergencies,” Matthew replied.
“Anyway, she called and chewed me out for not inviting you to Christmas and for not answering your calls. Then she said I should be ashamed of myself for having a successful business and making you work hard just to live. That’s when it clicked.” “What clicked?” Victoria asked.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
“I was ashamed that I never paid you back for the money from your house. I mean, you gave it to us so easily and never asked for anything. And while we now have money, an expensive car, and remodeled our house, you were struggling to pay your bills. I felt like a failure, and I couldn’t deal with it. I thought I was angry at you, but it was quite the opposite,” Matthew explained, finally letting go.
Just then, Victoria felt a hand on her back. It was Marina. “I thought I was angry at you too. For not telling us you needed money. For not telling us you were cleaning a store. But I was mad at myself. You shouldn’t have to work when the money you gave us is more than enough to keep you comfortable for the rest of your life. I can’t believe we never thought about paying you back before.”
“You don’t have to. It’s ok,” Victoria began, but Marina interrupted her gently. “We have to pay you back, especially after that chewing out from Mrs. Atkinson. She called me too. She said you worked so hard so our kids could have presents from their grandmother, and so we wouldn’t have to worry about you,” Marina continued.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
Victoria smiled and made a mental note to thank Lorena for doing that. “Let’s forget about it for now, ok?” she appeased her children and turned to look at her grandkids. “It’s time for everyone to open presents!”
They spent the best Christmas as a family. It was one Victoria would never forget. Marina and Matthew eventually paid their mother back, and they started depositing more money in her account just in case.
But Victoria didn’t quit her job. She liked it. Chatting with her coworkers was fun. She officially retired at 70 years old with a pretty decent amount of money in the bank.
And her children never forgot to invite her and always answered her calls.
What can we learn from this story?
- Honest work is nothing to be ashamed of. No one should be embarrassed by their job. Working hard to earn a living is all that matters.
- Don’t forget the sacrifices your parents made for you. Marina and Matthew forgot about the money their mother gave them to start their companies. But they remembered after being scolded and made amends.
Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.
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