The Prince's Watercolours

A look at His Royal Highness's personal artwork, and the places and people who inspire him to paint.

Prince and Painter

Having grown up surrounded by art, The Prince of Wales is himself an avid painter of watercolours. He draws inspiration from natural landscapes across the UK, and on his travels abroad. In this photograph, The Prince is painting while filming The Legend of Lochnagar in Scotland.

The Prince of Wales recalls the early influence of paintings at Windsor Castle (4 July 2013)Clarence House

Here, The Prince describes the early influence of growing up around the art collection at Windsor Castle.

The Prince of Wales painting in the Bhutan Himalayas (11 February 1998) by Press AssociationClarence House

During his travels to Bhutan, The Prince of Wales takes a short rest at a Buddhist prayer temple to paint a water colour in the Bhutan Himalayas.

Castle of Mey (2018) by HRH The Prince of WalesClarence House

This watercolour, painted by The Prince in 2018 shows The Castle of Mey - The Queen Mother's home in Caithness, Scotland.

Captured for the first time in high definition, you can zoom, click and drag to explore this and The Prince's other artworks close up.

The Queen Mother bought the castle - then known as Barrogill Castle - in 1952, and set about renovating and restoring both the castle and its gardens and parklands, which extended to about 30 acres.

She also restored the castle's original name, changing Barrogill Castle back to The Castle of Mey.

The Queen Mother opened the gardens in aid of Scotland's Gardens Scheme on three days each year, a tradition which the trustees continue today.

Her Majesty also spent three weeks each August at the castle, returning for about ten days in October.

The Prince of Wales at the Castle of Mey (6 August 2016) by John PaulClarence House

The Prince of Wales (or The Duke of Rothesay, as he is known in Scotland) has many fond memories of visiting The Castle of Mey on holiday as a child, with his grandmother.

The Castle has remained a much loved holiday spot throughout The Prince's life. Today he is President of The Queen Elizabeth Castle of Mey Trust, and is committed to furthering the Trust's objectives.

He continues to visit at least once each year, renting the castle for a few days every August.

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The Castle as seen on Google Street View.

Abandoned crofts on Stroma (2016) by HRH The Prince of WalesClarence House

Abandoned crofts on Stroma

This watercolour, painted by The Prince of Wales in 2016, shows abandoned crofts on Stroma, an island off the northern coast of the Scottish mainland, not far from The Castle of Mey.

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The island of Stroma on Google Street View.

Abandoned croft on the Island of Stroma, Caithness (2015) by HRH The Prince of WalesClarence House

Abandoned croft on the Island of Stroma, Caithness

This watercolour was painted by The Prince of Wales in 2015, and shows an abandoned croft on Stroma, an island off the northern coast of the mainland of Scotland.

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