The first portrait of King Charles III since he took the throne has been revealed — and it shows Britain’s new monarch wearing an indigenous bracelet.
The painting, completed by artist Alastair Barford, shows the King dressed in a blue suit atop a white shirt.
His Majesty accessorized with a pink tie and pocket square in the painting, with his left hand resting in his jacket pocket, flashing his bracelet.
Charles was reportedly gifted the bracelet by the Amazon indigenous leader, Domingo Peas.
Barford decided to include it in his portrait to add authenticity to the painting.
“I wished to capture his warmth and sensitivity, the empathy which came across in his interactions with the people he met,” he explained, per The Times of London. “It was important that I captured a sympathetic expression.”
While the artwork isn’t considered as the official portrait of the new monarch, who is set to be formally crowned on May 6, it is the first commissioned piece of work since he began his reign.
Barford added that he wanted to portray a “personal and intimate” image of the King, which made him decide against painting the monarch wearing ceremonial robes.
The 36-year-old artist revealed he completed the painting in just two weeks.
He called the task a “huge challenge.”
Barford’s work gained global attention after he painted a portrait of the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2015 — his first portrait commission.
In the painting, the late monarch and mother of King Charles wore the Robes of the Order of the Garter while attending the Garter Service at Windsor.
The King’s new portrait will feature on the front cover of The Illustrated Coronation Edition.
His Majesty’s upcoming coronation has been thrust into the spotlight in recent weeks over which royals will be in attendance, leaving people wondering whether or not Prince Harry and Meghan Markle would make the 5,459-mile trip.
The couple’s alleged list of demands — which include a spot on the Buckingham Palace balcony during the coronation, a royal protocol reserved strictly for working members of the royal family, and an acknowledgment of their two young kids during festivities — could throw the historic event into “chaos,” royal insiders fear.
If they do go, the pair will be met with a “cold shoulder” from senior members of the royal family, according to reports.
The pair, who wed in 2018, are reportedly mainly concerned with the role of their kids — Prince Archie, who will turn 4 the day his grandfather is crowned king, and Princess Lilibet, 1.
It’s believed Archie and Lilibet have not been invited to attend the coronation, which reportedly didn’t go down too well with the exiled royals.
