Portrait artist Jonathan Yeo has swapped his London studio for the "circus" of a royal tour, where he is documenting the King's nine-day trip to the Caribbean. Invited by the monarch himself, the painter behind the famous 'red' portrait of Charles is accompanying the King as he visits the Bahamas, Guyana and Antigua and Barbuda, capturing photos and sketches along the way.
Mr Yeo, 55, admits the task is "out of my comfort zone" but says being asked to be the royal tour artist is "a great honour". Speaking to journalists aboard RAF Voyager, the official plane used by the King, he explained what he has been asked to do.
The brief and early progress
"The brief is very diverse," he says. "It's for whatever catches the artist's eye. Really just to capture the nation at a moment in time, that just captures the mood at the moment."
Due to the hectic schedule so far, Mr Yeo has only managed a few sketches, and the oil painter has yet to wet his brushes. He hopes to start painting on Saturday, when there are no official engagements scheduled.
Asked about his impressions of a royal tour so far, he said: "Bizarre… It's a fascinating circus to join."
Observing the King's energy
Reflecting on the King's busy schedule, which packs in six engagements a day in hot and humid temperatures and began straight after a 10-hour flight, Mr Yeo said: "He's amazingly energetic. And to do that speech after the long flight was particularly impressive."
The portrait artist has not yet mapped out the theme of his work, but said the colourful Junkanoo parade in the Bahamas, where the King joined in the dancing, is likely to feature. "I'm still a bit unsure exactly what the end result's going to be with this," he said. "It's nice having a wide brief. And also, it's a bit of pressure as well because it's a little puzzle to figure out…you don't quite know exactly what the end result's going to be. Or how you're going to get there."
Previous portrait and future plans
Mr Yeo has known the King for many years and produced the first official portrait of the monarch since his Coronation. He said he was "startled" by the mixed response to it, with some questioning the vivid colour scheme while others praised its modern, psychological intimacy. The painting features a monarch butterfly hovering above the King's right shoulder, symbolising his longstanding advocacy for the environment and a sense of "metamorphosis" following his accession to the throne.
Mr Yeo anticipates that nature will also be a theme throughout his tour work, as it is such an important part of who the King is. Asked what the King is like in person, he said: "He's always seemed to have been an amazingly hard, dedicated worker. He's very work-focused… And he's entertaining and knowledgeable about a whole range of areas, and very funny as well."
At the end of the trip on Wednesday, the King will ask to speak to Mr Yeo on the flight back to London to hear how the tour went from his perspective, to view any sketches, and to ask what he plans to do when he returns to his studio. Mr Yeo has about six months to complete the works, and the finished products typically go on display at the Royal Collection. The King is usually gifted one of the paintings and has the opportunity to purchase more before they go on the open market.
