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Los Angeles-based Keith Biele, is "welcoming" Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to the City of Angels the best way he knows how: through his art.
The graffiti artist recently displayed his work which featured the Duke of Sussex in a blue hoodie with the words – echoing Britain’s wartime motto with a twist – "Keep calm and wash hands." He also had a blue French bulldog and an orange pitbull on either side of him, carrying messages of peace.
The 51-year-old artist explained in an interview with People: "I didn’t like the way the President welcomed them to the country by saying, 'Hey, we’re not going to pay for your security.'"
He’s talking, of course, of Trump’s tweet to the couple, which they responded to by saying, "Privately funded security arrangements have been made."
"So I wanted to try to find a way to use this image and welcome them at the same time to make a comment and a little public service announcement to everybody.
"I wanted to use their saying and put 'Wash Your Hands' in there to update it with what’s going on with the Covid-19," he said of the portrait.
SEE THE PORTRAIT HERE:
Harry and Meghan are currently putting down roots in LA after stepping down from their roles as senior members of the royal family in March.
While they haven’t announced any plans yet – apart from the name of their name foundation, Archewell – the couple is focused on staying safe with 11-month-old Archie and spending as much time together as a family.
Of their presence in Meghan’s hometown, Keith commented: "I think that we’re pretty stoked to have them here. I mean, when you have a couple like that living amongst you, in my opinion, it kind of raises the bar. It raises the level of what you want to aspire to."
On Harry, he added: "I would love to see more stuff of him done because I think he’s an inspiration to kids that are in the new generation. To me, Harry is kind of a hero. Instead of being the spare, mind you, he’s doing his own thing. I think that’s great."
