Portrait artist Jonathan Yeo has described King Charles as "amazingly energetic" after joining the monarch's nine-day tour of the Caribbean to capture the atmosphere of the overseas visit.
Yeo, who painted the first official post-coronation portrait of King Charles III, unveiled at Buckingham Palace in May 2024, was invited to accompany the tour, continuing a tradition dating back to Queen Victoria.
Inspired by the Junkanoo parade
Speaking to Hello!, Yeo said he was particularly inspired by the colourful Junkanoo parade in Nassau, the Bahamas, on the second day of the trip, when Charles joined in the celebrations and was pictured dancing in the streets.
Describing the 77-year-old monarch after witnessing the "fascinating circus" of a royal tour firsthand, Yeo said: "He's amazingly energetic. And to do that speech after the long flight, it was particularly impressive. It was obviously hot. We were sweating a bit. So, you know… he's very impressive. It's a fascinating circus to join really."
Tour concludes at Commonwealth summit
At the end of the trip, Yeo is due to discuss his work with the King, who privately funds the artist. The monarch typically keeps one portrait, while any other paintings may be put up for sale.
King Charles travelled to the region amid renewed calls from Caribbean nations for Britain to apologise for its role in the slave trade and pay reparations. Within hours of arriving in the Bahamas on Tuesday, the King acknowledged the "great suffering of the past" and confirmed that the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting would discuss the legacy of slavery.
Charles is now at the final destination of the tour, Antigua and Barbuda, where he will open the major Commonwealth leaders' summit in his role as head of the "family of nations". He also visited Guyana for the first time in 26 years, where he was welcomed by President Mohamed Irfaan Ali on Thursday, as well as by some protesters.
