An animal rights organisation’s activists have defaced the first official portrait of King Charles, which is presently on exhibit in a gallery in London.
A video shared by Animal Rising on social media showed two activists covering the painting of King Charles with signs using a paint roller.
The portrait is the first official representation of King Charles as monarch and is on display at the Philip Mould Gallery in central London until June 21. When the painting by Jonathan Yeo was exhibited, opinions were divided because it depicted the king against a red background.
Wallace from the “Wallace and Gromit” television series was used by the activists to cover the king’s head, along with a speech bubble that said, “No cheese, Gromit, look at all of this cruelty on RSCPA farms.”
The activist wanted to draw attention to a recent report by Animal Rising that accused 45 farms accredited by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) of serious animal abuse.
The RSPCA has a new royal patron, King Charles. “Since King Charles is a huge 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,” an Animal Rising activist told The Telegraph. Though they hope His Majesty finds it funny.
