King’s watercolour for children’s TV show reappears after 31 years
A watercolour painted by the King as he filmed a BBC adaptation of his children’s book has emerged after 31 years.
The monatch, then the Prince of Wales, was filmed sitting at a desk in his study painting Lochnagar, a mountain overlooking the Balmoral estate, in 1993.
He was interrupted by a group of noisy schoolchildren, to whom he introduced his story of the Old Man of Lochnagar, about a man who lived in a cave and his adventures in the surrounding countryside.
The King narrated the animated TV adaptation, with the old man voiced by Robbie Coltrane.
His unfinished painting was later picked up by a member of the BBC’s production team, who was given permission to keep it. She had it mounted and framed before hanging it on the landing at her home in Somerset, where it remained for 31 years.
She has now decided to sell it at auction, where it is expected to raise £15,000 when it goes under the hammer on March 14.
Chris Yeo, of auctioneers Clevedon Salerooms of Bristol, said: “I just think that she feels the time is right to part with it. She has had it on her upstairs landing wall for years, and she now wants to put something else there.
“Very few of his works come to the open market, just a few limited edition prints, but it is very rare for an original watercolour to come up for sale.
“We have already had a lot of interest in it from the UK, America and Australia, especially given that he has very recently taken the throne.”
The King wrote the Old Man of Lochnagar in 1980, having devised the story years earlier to entertain his brothers, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, when they were young.
In 1984, Charles read the story on Jackanory, the BBC children’s programme, and in 2007 it became the inspiration for a ballet, first performed at Sadler’s Wells Theatre.
In the opening scene of the television adaptation, children burst into his study, shouting that their antics are not bothering anyone.
The then 44-year-old looks up from his painting and asks: “How do you know it’s not bothering anyone? Do you know what happens when you think you know, but you don’t?
“I know someone who thought he knew all about everything. Shall I tell you what happened to him?”
At the end of the animation, the King tells the children: “There is truth in every story, and the legend of Lochnagar is no exception.” As he begins playing the bagpipes, he shrinks, reflecting a scene in the story.
A keen artist, the monarch has long specialised in watercolours, raising more than £2 million for good causes from the sale of his landscapes.
A series of his limited edition framed lithographs are on sale in the Highgrove House shop, including a view of snow-topped Lochnagar, costing £5,000. All proceeds are donated to the King’s Foundation.
The King paints whenever his schedule allows and he usually takes his treasured sailcloth and leather painting bag with him on royal tours.
