The Royal Family has certainly been through a lot in the last year or so. After Queen Elizabeth II passed in 2022, Charles stepped up to the symbolic plate as King in 2023, just before revealing he was being treated for cancer in February of this year. There was also the whole tampon thing… but we’ll get back to that.
So, The Royal Family finally revealed King Charles’ official portrait. And you know what? It’s not very optimistic. The painting, made by artist Jonathan Yeo, features a very… vibrant King Charles descending out of an intense red tint. You can see where this is going, right?
Today, The King unveiled a new portrait by @RealJonathanYeo at Buckingham Palace. The painting – commissioned by The Draper’s Company – is the first official portrait to be completed since His Majesty’s Coronation. It will hang in Draper’s Hall in London. pic.twitter.com/yVAK2PQslz
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) May 14, 2024
The internet never forgets, of course, so everyone was quick to make the same Tampon Gate joke, referencing Charles’ infamous phone call in which he joked about becoming a tampon, a joke he will never live down.
the portrait of him engulfed in some sort of BLOOD STORM is the coolest thing our queen, king prince charles, has done since the time he said he loved pussy so much he wished he was a tampon.
— descriptive display name that is way too long and (@mrgracemugabe) May 15, 2024
Prince Charles: Camilla, I want to be your tampon.
King Charles: Paint me a portrait swimming in blood!— Andy White – Comedian (He/Him) (@AndyJWhite) May 15, 2024
SNL Prince Charles as Camilla’s tampon sketch come to life in Royal art 30+ years later https://t.co/0KRGNuqmFv pic.twitter.com/HiAPs5CMzo
— Jo (@JoannaConn3lly) May 14, 2024
Awww he went for a portrait that depicts him being the tampon he so badly wanted to be for Camilla.
https://t.co/u2KgDWnfbd
— Kelechi (@kelechnekoff) May 14, 2024
He wished to be a tampon. Our man became a maxi-pad. Dream big! https://t.co/BAdQtCs7nb
— Elsa Williams (@williamspidge) May 14, 2024
Of the painting, the artist said, “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.” It’s even more puzzling when you look back at his other royal works, which are not at all like his blood-red portrait.
Besides the obvious comments, the real question here is….why? Especially when all of Queen Elizabeth’s portraits were exceedingly normal. But it seems to work in the context of the family.
I’m not entirely sure WHY the painter chose to have Charles emerging from a cacophonous void of meat and gore, but it’s certainly an apt metaphor for the history of the British royal family, so kudos to him for that https://t.co/dmLzJcqviV
— Nabil Who Draws Stuff
(@OrangeAndInsane) May 14, 2024
It’s a little on the nose to paint your portrait with the blood of all those you colonized. https://t.co/qpnqKSQ3vR
— Lauren Walsh
Taking a Long Rest (@LaurenWalshArt) May 15, 2024
Title: British colonizing family rep drenched in the blood of centuries of their victims https://t.co/iyb9MAeMWO
— Prof. Farhana Sultana (@Prof_FSultana) May 14, 2024
you’re laughing. the king of england’s new portrait paints him as an emissary of hell and you’re laughing.
— Clara (@colormeloverly) May 14, 2024
Why does this look like a spell is about to be broken? https://t.co/4nYeM2KODR
— Joel Kim Booster (@ihatejoelkim) May 15, 2024
Please stop hating on this… as a cult leader of the dark gods this is what I want mine to be like too https://t.co/sGYWop5ofy
— Celestial Fang
If Yeo intended to make a statement about the eons of blood-soaked horror that the British Empire inflicted upon so many, then the work is a masterpiece. If not, then…wow. https://t.co/72GhHDFAIM
— Cheryl Lynn Eaton (@cheryllynneaton) May 14, 2024
For more information on TamponGate, you can watch The Crown season five now on Netflix!