Several members of the royal family have been born in April. Most famously Queen Elizabeth II, who would have been 99 on the 21st, followed by her great-grandson Prince Louis, younger son of the Prince and Princess of Wales, who will be seven on the 23rd. Many hoped that little Louis would arrive on the late Queen’s birthday, but he waited another two days before making his entrance into the world and has been delighting us all ever since.
The Princess of Wales is supportive in allowing us to see her children growing up and in February she posted pictures of family artwork done by all three of them on social media platforms. She was illustrating how parents can engage with their young children by drawing portraits with one of them as the subject. Louis drew his mother all in bright red and orange with bold hair and a distinctive nose.
Children are natural artists until they become self-critical. Prince William was exceptionally good, as was his father; from the age of six Prince Charles drew credible pictures for ‘Papa’ of his sailing boats and animals.
The King, like his father Prince Philip, became an accomplished artist and he has sold many of his watercolours, raising large sums for his charities. He took up art seriously when he realised he had drawers full of photographs that he never looked at.
In the summer of 2024 the King started painting again for the first time since his accession. While Queen Camilla was on holiday with her family His Majesty spent a week at the Castle of Mey in Caithness where, according to The Times, ‘he sat in front of his easel to capture the scenery with his paint brushes laid out before him’.
Five years ago, the then Prince of Wales announced, ‘I have spent much of my life trying to bring people together. I’d rather be a peacemaker.’ It was into this unusual role that the King was unexpectedly cast when President Zelenskyy of Ukraine requested an audience following an emergency defence summit in London only days after his disastrous meeting with President Trump at the White House.
The King, with the approval of his government, granted the audience and warmly welcomed the president to Sandringham late that Sunday afternoon. The two men had first met at Buckingham Palace in 2023 – on the same day the King had visited Ukrainian troops training in Wiltshire – and they got on well.
The following day the King, still at his Norfolk estate, received Prime Minister Trudeau of Canada in the wake of the Trump-induced challenges with tariffs facing his country.
Peacemaker and diplomat, Charles III must be looking forward to the ‘simpler’ role as monarch at the VE-Day 80th anniversary activities in London over four days in May. Among other things there will be a military procession from Whitehall to Buckingham Palace, with a flypast of current and historic aircraft and the famous Red Arrows. An installation of ceramic poppies will return to the Tower of London to mark the anniversary.
On the final day a service of thanksgiving will take place at Westminster Abbey and the events will conclude with a celebratory concert on Horse Guards Parade.
