In a bold act of protest, Animal Rising activists vandalized the new official portrait of King Charles at the Philip Mould gallery in London. The incident occurred around noon, when two campaigners defaced the painting by sticking Wallace and Gromit posters over the face of His Majesty.
The portrait, which is the first official depiction of King Charles since his ascension to the throne, was inspired partly by his long-standing environmental advocacy. The activists used the popular animated characters Wallace and Gromit to draw attention to their cause. One poster featured Wallace’s face, while the other contained a speech bubble reading, “No Cheese, Gromit. Look At All This Cruelty On RSPCA Farms!”
Animal Rising, the group behind the protest, is urging King Charles to suspend his support for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), where he serves as the Royal Patron. They demand the RSPCA drop their Assured Scheme, which is designed to uphold animal welfare standards on farms.
Daniel Juniper, one of the activists involved in the act, explained their choice of imagery: “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.”
The protest has sparked a mix of reactions, with some supporting the activists’ call for higher animal welfare standards, while others condemn the act of vandalism against a significant cultural piece. The Philip Mould gallery has not yet commented on the extent of the damage or the steps they will take to restore the portrait.