King Charles’ first official portrait vandalized by animal rights activists

Activists from an animal rights group have vandalized the first official portrait of King Charles, currently on display in a London gallery.

Campaign group, Animal Rising posted a video on its social media channels on Tuesday, June 11, showing two activists using a paint roller to stick signs over the portrait of the monarch.

Members of the public have been free to visit the portrait of the monarch, which is on display at the Philip Mould Gallery in central London until June 21.

The painting, the first official portrait of King Charles as monarch, raised eyebrows when it was unveiled earlier this year.

In the portrait, Artist Jonathon Yeo depicted the king against a background of crimson blood strokes, sparking mixed reactions.

Activists covered the king’s head with an image of the UK cartoon character Wallace, from the “Wallace and Gromit” comedy series. A speech bubble sign was then also tacked onto the painting with the following caption: “No cheese Gromit, look at all of this cruelty on RSCPA farms.”

The action was designed to bring attention to a new report, released on Sunday by the group, which investigated 45 farms whose welfare standards are guaranteed by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA). The RSPCA’s Assured scheme promises that animals in protected farms are given more living space and are never kept in cages. Meat, fish and dairy products produced by these farms are marked with the RSCPA logo. Animal Rising described their findings as “damning,” alleging that they found “severe animal cruelty” at all farms visited.

Last month, King Charles became the royal patron of the RSPCA.

 In a statement provided to the British newspaper The Telegraph, an Animal Rising activist explained, “With King Charles being such a big fan of ‘Wallace and Gromit,’ we couldn’t think of a better way to draw his attention to the horrific scenes on RSPCA Assured farms! Even though we hope this is amusing to His Majesty, we also call on him to seriously reconsider if he wants to be associated with the awful suffering across farms being endorsed by the RSPCA.”