King Charles III has unveiled the first portrait of the monarch completed since he assumed the throne, a vivid image that depicts him in the bright red uniform of the Welsh Guards against a background of similar hues.

The larger-than-life painting by artist Jonathan Yeo captures the king with his hands clasped atop the hilt of his sword and a butterfly flitting above his right shoulder. Charles got his first look at the canvas Tuesday at Buckingham Palace.

Yeo began the portrait more than a year before Charles became king, with a sitting at the then-Prince of Wales� Highgrove estate in June 2021. The last sitting took place in November 2023 at Clarence House, one of the king�s residences in London.

�When I started this project, His Majesty The King was still His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, and 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,�� Yeo said.

The portrait, which is approximately 8 1/2 by 6 1/2 feet, will be on display at the Philip Mould Gallery in London from May 16 to June 14. From the end of August, it will be displayed at Drapers� Hall across town.

The portrait was commissioned to celebrate Charles’ 50 years as a member of the Drapers� Company, which was set up more than 600 years ago as a trade association for wool merchants.

Philanthropy came to be part of their mission and the company is now a grant-giving body.

(AP)