Animal rights protestors have vandalized the portrait of King Charles III just weeks after it was unveiled.
Several members of the nonprofit organization Animal Rising approach the portrait with paint rollers in hand in a new video posted to the group’s X account on June 11.
During the short clip, one member promptly covers King Charles' head with the face of a popular animated character: Wallace from the British comedy franchise "Wallace and Gromit."
Meanwhile, a second member gets to work attaching a quote bubble that reads, "No cheese, Gromit. Look at all this cruelty on RSPCA farms!” Laughter can be heard in the background.
Animal Rising, a group that focuses on advocacy for animals, nature and climate justice, posted the following caption alongside the video.
"BREAKING: No Cheese Gromit! King Charles Portrait Redecorated @RoyalFamily," the group wrote. "Find out why King Charles, Patron of the RSPCA should ask them to drop the Assured Scheme."
King Charles is a royal patron of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA). TODAY.com has reached out the RSPCA for comment.
Two Animal Rising supporters visited the Philip Mould Gallery in London for this demonstration, which called attention to Animal Rising’s “damning investigation” of 45 RSPCA “assured” farms.
The Animal Rising report alleges 280 legal breaches and 94 breaches of Defra (Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) regulations on 45 UK farms that house pigs, chickens, trout and salmon.
“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,” Daniel Juniper, who was involved in the demonstration, said in a statement.
“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,” the statement continued.
Charles visited the animation studio that produces "Wallace and Gromit" in 2001 and told animators he was a "big fan," per The Guardian.
Juniper continued, saying, “Charles has made it clear he is sensitive to the suffering of animals in U.K. farms; now is the perfect time for him to step up and call on the RSPCA to drop the Assured Scheme and tell the truth about animal farming.”
So far, Buckingham Palace has not commented on the vandalism.
After its debut on May 14, the king's new portrait divided spectators. Painted by British artist Jonathan Yeo, the portrait shows the 75-year-old wearing a red Welsh Guards uniform as he holds a sword. The red background left some feeling unsettled.
“I’m sorry but his portrait looks like he’s in hell,” one Instagram users commented on the royal family's account.
One social media user penned the following reaction: “He really captured the essence of him in the face, but the harshness of the red doesn’t match the softness of his expression.”
However, some people were fond of the portrait and one left the following comment: “I think this is beautiful and such a break from the traditional portraits.”
TODAY.com has reached out to the Philip Mould Gallery for an update on the painting.
