In the artwork by Jonathan Yeo, who painted the King’s first official portrait since the coronation, a seated Sir David holds his hands and looks towards the viewer. Sir David, 98, said: “It was a tremendous honour to be elected a fellow of the Royal Society over 40 years ago, and that my portrait has now been painted by such a master as Jonathan Yeo for the society’s extensive and important collection is extraordinary indeed. “To spend so much of my life looking at the natural world and attempting to convey to others its amazing complexity, beauty and, increasingly, its fragility, has been a great privilege.
“It has only been possible thanks to the extraordinary natural history filmmakers and the many dedicated scientists who have willingly shared their work with us.” Sir David and the Royal Society’s president Sir Adrian Smith, attended a private unveiling on Tuesday and it was also displayed to the public on BBC’s The One Show. British artist Yeo said: “It’s hard to imagine a public figure who has done more to engage and inspire all generations in the wonders of the natural world than Sir David.
“At a time when too many global leaders are failing to engage seriously in tackling threats to our climate and natural world, Sir David’s lifetime of work in communicating and sharing its wonders and importance has been a service to all humanity. “Sir David has long been a personal inspiration, and so it was a huge honour to be asked to paint his portrait .
