The hidden details in Charles' surprise new portrait you might have missed

King Charles III has unveiled the first official portrait of himself since his coronation last year.

Early Wednesday morning the monarch revealed the dramatic red painting to the world.

Painted by artist Jonathan Yeo, the portrait received mixed reviews from royal watchers on social media, with fans divided over his artistic choices.

READ MORE: William receives new title in first joint appearance with Charles in years

However, according to Yeo, his choices all have hidden meaning behind them, with multiple nods to Charles' journey to and role as monarch.

The butterfly next to the king's right shoulder is said to have several different meanings.

First of all, it symbolises his journey from prince to king.

When Yeo first began work on the portrait, Charles was still known as the Prince of Wales and by the time it was completed, he was king.

"In the context of art history, a butterfly is often the symbol of metamorphosis and rebirth, and thus also parallels the King's transition from prince to monarch during the period the portrait was created," read Yeo's website.

He also added that the butterfly pays tribute to the king's dedication to sustainability.

"Primarily a symbol of the beauty and precariousness of nature, it highlights the environmental causes the King has championed most of his life and certainly long before they became a mainstream conversation," Yeo added.

Finally, the butterfly is also a symbol of Charles' royal status, with it's orange, black and white colours making it identifiable as a monarch butterfly.

What had most fans divided was the strong use of the colour red, however according to Yeo's website, it's featured heavily as a tribute to Charles' "royal heritage."

In the portrait, Charles is wearing the red uniform of the Welsh Guards, a part of the British army he was named Regimental Colonel of in 1975.

READ MORE: King Charles 'lost his sense of taste amid cancer treatment'

With red paint covering majority of the canvas, Charles' figure blends seamlessly into the background, a choice that Yeo says was deliberate.

He explained that he made the decision to keep the king's face pronounced against the rest of the painting in order to create a sense of connection between the viewer and the art, rather than having audiences distracted by the extravagant uniform.

"As a portrait artist, you get this unique opportunity to spend time with and get to know a subject," read Yeo's website. "So I wanted to minimise the visual distractions and allow people to connect with the human being underneath."

FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.