Life portrait of Prince William goes on sale

Sep 28, 2005, 13:05 GMT

The only life portrait of Britain's Prince William is expected to fetch as much as £100,000 when it goes on sale this week.

The rare study of the prince when he was 17 was painted by artist John Wonnacott. It was completed in preparation for a group picture of the Royal family to celebrate the late Queen Mother's 100th birthday.

The preliminary sketches and paintings produced in the course of his work are going on display for the first time at a London art gallery.

They include what are still the only portraits of 23-year-old Prince William and his younger brother Prince Harry, 21.

William and Harry had never posed before and Mr Wonnacott sketched them in their housemaster's study at Eton College.

He told the Daily Telegraph in 2000: "William was a typical 17-year-old who seemed exhausted all the time and used to arrive wearing the most appalling waistcoats which I asked him to take off."

Wonnacott, a distinguished portrait and landscape artist whose previous work includes a portrait of John Major set in the White Room at Downing Street, is selling the pictures reluctantly, but said the gallery wanted to offer some for sale.

He said: "I'm not keen. I'd be very happy if none of them sell. I'd like them kept together."

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