A bit of an odd topic for me, but I was just so taken aback when I saw the new portrait of King Charles III today. I mean, what was he thinking? Did he really think it was a good idea?

The artist, Jonathan Yeo, claims it depicts the transformation, or metamorphosis of Charles from Prince to King, and his connection with nature because of the butterfly. Umm, alright, but not sure I’m getting that from it.

For me it’s depicts Charles ascending to a throne built on blood, fire and violence. Maybe not current violence, but definitely historical, an empire built on colonialism, subjugation, slavery and theft. Out of this fiery maelstrom comes King Charles, the conquering hero, with a butterfly on his shoulder for some reason. Is that like the butterfly chaos effect or something? Or is the butterfly a last remnant of nature, pleading with the monarch for sanctuary?

The portrait looks like something you’d see in the comic 2000AD, a kind of dystopian tyrant, or hero maybe. All very odd. A friend commented it reminded him of Ghostbusters 2, with the haunted portrait of Vigo the Carpathian. Sounds legit to me.

Who you gonna call?