Royals from all generations have flexed their creative muscles from a young age – but can YOU guess who’s behind these childhood drawings?

The artistic stylings of the Wales children sent royal fans into a frenzy this week after the Princess of Wales revealed their line drawings to the world in a sweet social media post.

However, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, six, are not the only young royals to have flexed their artistic muscles over the years – with older generations showing off their drawings in childhood too. 

These poignant childhood drawings remind us that away from the pomp, pageantry and demands of the family, the royals also treasure the ordinary, every-day moments of family life.

Prince George’s line drawing of his mother, the Princess of Wales, had royal fans gushing over his talent after it was shared to mark Kate’s Shaping Us campaign – part of her early years work. 

And it appears the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, as their grandfather King Charles has been widely recognised for his artistic abilities throughout the years as he is an accomplished watercolour painter.

However, even the King started out flexing his artistic muscles at a young age with adorable drawings to his ‘Mummy’ and ‘Papa’, meanwhile a young Queen Elizabeth also expressed herself creatively as a young six-year-old. 

Although these early works by royal children are rarely shared publicly, there have been some notable glimpses into their artistic endeavours, but can YOU guess who’s behind these childhood drawings?

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… And the answers 

1. Prince George

In December 2022, the royal couple shared their eldest son’s reindeer painting on their Instagram account

Prince George’s line drawing of his mother is not the only piece of artwork he has created that has sent royal fans into a frenzy – as his festive painting previously won hearts.

In December 2022, the royal couple shared their eldest son’s reindeer painting on their Instagram account.

Following this, the artist whose work inspired Prince George’s painting praised his ‘talent’ and ‘eye for colour’.

Hannah Dale – of Wrendale Designs – said the royal’s festive work, which pictured a reindeer with robins perched on his body and antlers was ‘lovely’ and showed an impressive command with watercolours.

Speaking to Hello! at the time, the artist said: ‘I think having a love of animals and love of nature is obviously something that’s maybe captured his attention. That inspires me very much.’

2. King Charles 

In 2023 a collection of sweet childhood drawings by a six-year-old King Charles including one of ‘Mummy’ and ‘Papa’ went up for sale a an auction

In 2023 a collection of sweet childhood drawings by a six-year-old King Charles including one of ‘Mummy’ and ‘Papa’ went up for sale at an auction.

The ten crayon and pencil portraits of the late Queen and Prince Philip were drawn by Charles between 1953 and 1955.

The 7x9inch drawings belonged to Henry Ramsay Maule, a British correspondent for New York Daily News who covered the Royal Family for decades.

After his death in 1981, the drawings remained in the family.

He kept hold of eight other drawings by Charles from the same period showing his early love of sailing and nature.

3. Queen Elizabeth 

In 2023, a young Queen Elizabeth’s drawings came to light in charming Christmas cards sent to her governess

In 2023, a young Queen Elizabeth’s drawings came to light in charming Christmas cards sent to her governess.

Princess Elizabeth created the festive cards throughout the 1930s at the age of six-years-old. 

She gave them to her and Princess Margaret’s Scottish-born childhood tutor Marion Crawford, who they affectionately called ‘Crawfie’.

One card has a drawing by Elisabeth of a Christmas tree on the front, a horseshoe inside and the inscription ‘For Crawfie, from Lilibet’.

It is one of several cards with horse artwork, demonstrating her early love for the animals.

Another card depicts an idyllic snow-kissed rural village, and another shows a young woman holding a Christmas pudding.

Elizabeth drew some of the cards and neatly coloured in others.

The collection of cards and photos, split into 17 lots, were left by Crawford to her solicitor in Aberdeen, following her death.

Princess Elizabeth created the festive cards throughout the 1930s at the age of six-years-old

One card has a drawing by Elisabeth of a Christmas tree on the front, a horseshoe inside and the inscription ‘For Crawfie, from Lilibet’

They are going under the hammer four decades on at London-based auctioneers Spink & Son.

A Spink and Son spokesperson said: ‘The cards show the close, trusting and intimate relationship between the Princesses and their governess, calling her by her nickname ‘Crawfie’.

‘Very few original items written by them to her have been available on the collectors market until these cards appeared.’

Crawford served in the Royal household from 1932 to 1947. But she reportedly fell out of favour with the Royals after releasing the book ‘The Little Princesses’, which told the story of her time with the Royals, in 1950.

Neither the Queen nor any other member of the Royal Family are said to have spoken to her again. She died in 1988 aged 78 in Aberdeen.

When she died a lonely widow neither the Queen, the Queen Mother nor Princess Margaret sent a wreath to her funeral.

One adorable card depicts an idyllic snow-kissed rural village, and another shows a young woman holding a Christmas pudding.

Another card depicts a sweet village which was coloured in by the princess and is signed by Lilibet.

4. King Charles 

An original stencil-painted rabbit by a young Charles (approx aged 5) in the form of an easter card inscribed ‘Happy Easter’, and again inside, ‘Love From Charles’

Another drawing featured in the collection of art made by a six-year-old King Charles that was auctioned off in 2023 is the King’s sweet Happy Easter message.

The drawing features a watercolour rabbit in the King’s medium of choice, an animal that has come to be associated with Easter, plus the greeting written in yellow crayon – with lines to help him write straight for good measure.

Among other drawings in the collection are a message to his father, Prince Philip, with accompanying notes reading: ‘Dear Papa, I am longing to see you in this ship’ and ‘Dear Papa, Love From Charles’ written on the back of many. 

Charles drew a racing boat at Cowes, Isle of Wight, as well as charming pictures of birds, owls, deer and squirrels.

One sketch shows a master sailor receiving ‘hair restorer’, perhaps a nod to the hair loss in his family.

Charles drew a racing boat at Cowes, Isle of Wight, as well as charming pictures of birds, rabbits, owls, deer and squirrels

A drawing of a delivery van in a Harrod’s-style livery, ‘Happybright, Mr Charles’s Shop’ by a young Charles (approx aged six)

Charles was taught to paint as a child by Robert Waddell and then received tutelage from British artists Edward Seago and John Napier.

He still paints today, and has spoken of his love for watercolour landscapes of Royal residences and other beauty spots.

In 2022, Charles told how he finds painting so relaxing that it ‘transports him into another dimension’ as the largest ever display of his artwork was staged, with 79 of his watercolours – the first full exhibition of his work in the medium – shown at The Garrison Chapel in Chelsea, west London.

The paintings depict Scottish landscapes such as the Huna Mill at John O’Groats and Glen Callater near Balmoral, and scenes from the south of France and Tanzania.

In a display panel, Charles says the hobby ‘refreshes parts of the soul which other activities can’t reach’.

‘You become increasingly aware of things that may have escaped your attention previously – the quality of light and shade, of tone and texture and of the shape of buildings,’ he said at the time.

A drawing of a racing boat at Cowes by a young Charles (approx aged six) signed ‘Charles’

Many of the drawings appear to be from Charles, with notes reading ‘Dear Papa, I am longing to see you in this ship’ and ‘Dear Papa, Love From Charles’ written on the back of many

A drawing of an owl, deer and squrriels signed Charles and inscribed ‘Papa’ from 1953-55

‘It all requires the most intense concentration and consequently is one of the most relaxing and therapeutic exercises I know.

‘In fact, in my case, I find it transports me into another dimension which, quite literally, refreshes parts of the soul which other activities can’t reach.

‘I took up painting entirely because I found photography less than satisfying

‘I experienced an overwhelming urge to express what I saw through the medium of watercolour.

‘I very quickly discovered how incredibly difficult it is to paint well in such a spontaneous medium.

‘Looking back now at those first sketches I did, I am appalled by how bad they are.’

He adds: ‘I am under no illusion that my sketches represent great art or a burgeoning talent.’

6. Prince Louis 

Royal reporter Rebecca English shared snaps of Prince Louis’s handprints on the wall which were labelled with their names 

Prince Louis even got stuck in to some hand painting alongside his dad Prince William as they were tasked with helping improve the 3rd Upton Scouts Hut building in Slough

Prince Louis has also shown off his creative side in the past – joining his father Prince William on a visit where he took part in some hand print painting in 2023.

It’s not the first time the Prince showed off his creative side as he got stuck in to a spot of hand painting with his dad Prince William in 2023.

The Prince of Wales and wife Kate were joined by their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis during a visit to the 3rd Upton Scouts Hut in Slough, west of London, where they were tasked with helping improve the building.

Inside the scout hut the family, including Louis, added their handprints to a tree on the wall made up of all those who have contributed to the volunteer effort.

Six-year-old Louis opted for a red crayon to sketch the image of his mother, which she shared online

One followed volunteer asked Louis: ‘You might want to be a painter when you grow up?’

‘No a fighter pilot,’ he responded.

‘Just like your father and grandfather!’ the lady replied.

Hey poppet,’ said Kate to Louis as her younger child delightedly grabbed a brush. She encouraged him to paint her hand first, liberally covering it with yellow paint.

He then led his mother by the hand and encouraged him to place her hand on the wall. ‘Ready, steady, go. Good job!’ Kate smiled.

But that clearly wasn’t going to be enough for Louis and, as his mother washed her hands, he went off to get some paint for himself.

He first chose some yellow paint and started putting it on his hands with the princess’s encouragement before make his own handprint. ‘Good job,’ Kate said.

Louis decided to have a go again, looking carefully to make sure every spot of skin was covered, before finding another spot on the mural to place his hand. ‘Do you want to put it next to me?’ asked Kate.

Louis proudly pointed out his handprints. ‘Look! There, there, there and there!’

5. Queen Elizabeth

One pencil sketch shows a woman knitting. The sketches were drawn on official Royal Coat of Arms-headed paper

In 2020, two sketches of a woman, that were purported to be the work of a young Queen Elizabeth went up for auction.

One pencil sketch shows the profile of a woman while the other is of the same person knitting.

The woman is believed to be Marion Crawford, the governess or tutor to Elizabeth and Princess Margaret and who served in the Royal household from 1932 to 1947.

They were drawn on official Royal Coat of Arms-headed paper and found inside a book titled ‘The Scottish National War Memorial’.

The inside page of the book was signed by Elizabeth in blue fountain pen.

Although the date 1932 is stamped on the book, Elizabeth would have been aged just six so it is more likely the drawings date from later on.

Although the date 1932 is stamped on the book, Elizabeth would have been aged just six so it is more likely the drawings date from later on. Pictured: A sketch of a woman’s profile

The sketches  were consigned for sale by a private collector of Royal memorabilia with auctioneers William George & Co, of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire.

Alex McCormick, of William George & Co, said: ‘Found within Elizabeth’s signed book were two sketches in pencil, one side profile of a lady and the other sketch is of this same lady knitting.

‘There is speculation that as these sketches were found in her book, they most likely would have been drawn by a member of the Royal family close to Elizabeth at the time or perhaps even by the Queen herself.

‘Who is depicted in the sketches is also a mystery but we believe it could perhaps be a governess looking after her at the time or indeed a family member.

‘Marion Crawford was employed in 1932 as the nursery governess to both Elizabeth and Margaret.’

7. Queen Elizabeth

In 2023, a drawing by a young Princess Elizabeth, sent to the Peter Pan author JM Barrie, was unveiled to the public. 

The child’s crayon picture of a house with lots of windows was sent to Barrie along with an apologetic letter from Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, in the 1930s.

In it she harshly called the drawing ‘very poor’ and said ‘Elizabeth insisted on putting in a roof with lots of little windows for the nurserymaid’.

The unique item had been owned by an American Anglophile for some years before it was put up for auction at Everard Auctions in Savannah, Georgia.

It was bought by a British online bidder for £3,350.

The image drawn by the young Elizabeth, which is thought to be what she believed ‘Great Ormond Street Hospital’s Southwood Building should look like’

Princess Elizabeth’s drawing was accompanied by a letter written by her mother, who was somewhat harsh about the image

The drawing is thought to possibly be the late queen’s childhood vision of what Great Ormond Street Hospital’s Southwood Building should look like.

Barrie is known to have had a strong bond with the royal family in the 1930s and had also gifted the copyright for Peter Pan to Great Ormond Street Hospital, who were hoping to build a new wing.

The Southwood Building was officially opened by King George VI and the Queen Mother in 1938.

There is no date on the letter but it is thought it was written in the early 1930s when Princess Elizabeth would have been aged between four and six.

8. Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret

While waiting for their dentist  check-up, Elizabeth and Margaret drew almost 20 houses, chairs and dressing tables

The drawings were purchased by a UK-based telephone bidder who paid £11,646 including fees

In 2023, even more of the late Queen’s childhood drawings sold for over £11,000 at auction.

In 1938, the Elizabeth and Princess Margaret – who were aged 12 and eight – were handed a piece of Buckingham Palace headed paper to keep them entertained while waiting for a dentist appointment.

The sisters were both booked in to see royal dentist Alan Aldred at his practice in Park Street, London.

The late Queen and Princess Margaret (aged 11 and seven) pictured in 1937 – the year before they completed the drawings

While waiting for their check-up, Elizabeth and Margaret drew almost 20 houses, chairs and dressing tables on both sides of the sheet of paper.

Following their appointments, the royal pair left their drawings with Mr Aldred – who held onto them for decades.

He then passed them on to his son Ian Aldred, who sent the late Queen photocopies of the drawings in 2004.

After receiving them, the Queen asked her private secretary to respond to Ian’s letter with a personal message.

It read: ‘Her Majesty was most grateful to you for sending her this photocopy which certainly brought back memories for her.’

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Read more at DailyMail.co.uk