King Charles’Adorable Childhood Drawings of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip Are Headed to Auction
King Charles III’s childhood artwork is going on sale. Not a finger-painting or a handprint turkey. Rather drawings he made as a boy depicting his parents, the late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. How a former royal correspondent ended up with King Charles’s drawings. Plus, what they could fetch at auction.
King Charles’s drawings of Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth are part of a ‘touching collection’ of auction items
The king’s childhood drawings didn’t go on a fridge, only to be lost to time. While that may have been the case for some, others are headed for a new home.
England-based Hansons Auctioneers is selling the king’s drawings of Queen Elizabeth and the former Duke of Edinburgh, done between 1953 and 1955.
In one, the king depicts his father, Philip, wearing a suit and bow tie with “Papa” written in cursive next to his smiling face. The other features Queen Elizabeth wearing a yellow and red striped dress with earrings and a purple tiara.
King Charles also drew his mother’s signature handbag that became synonymous with her style. Just like his drawing of Philip, the king labeled the picture of the queen, writing “Mummy” in cursive.
The drawings are among 10 of the king’s early works being auctioned off alongside other photos and mementos.
“Given a crayon and pencil, nearly every child’s first drawings depict their family,” Charles Hanson, the owner of Hansons Auctioneers, said in a statement. “Our King was no different. This collection will help people relate to him even more in his role as our monarch.”
“This is an extraordinarily touching collection,” Hanson added. “These poignant childhood drawings and emotive photos remind us that away from the pomp, pageantry, and demands of serving the nation, our royals treasure the ordinary, everyday moments of family life.”
The king’s drawings of the queen and Philip could sell for $12,000
Now the for the price. Just how much might King Charles’s childhood drawings of his parents fetch at auction? Estimates put the sale price at anywhere from £5,000 to £10,000, or approximately $6,300 to $12,600.
Ultimately, what the drawings go for will be unveiled on June 16 when they’re auctioned off by Hansons Auctioneers in Etwall, Derbyshire, England.
Also for sale will be Christmas cards, a 1937 Buckingham Palace manuscript menu diary, royal family photos, and more.
King Charles’s childhood drawings spent decades ‘tucked away’
As for the origin of the collection, King Charles’s drawings and the rest of the items headed to auction have a connection to a former royal correspondent.
“The items were given to Henry Maule to support his work in documenting the life of the royal family, which included writing All The Queen’s Children,” Hanson said.
Maule, an author, journalist, and one-time British correspondent for the New York Daily News, collected many of the items from the 1950s to the 1970s.
He also got Buckingham Palace’s approval to pen an authorized biography of Prince Philip. However, he only got as far as conducting research before his death in 1981. His family inherited the items that “have remained tucked away for more than 40 years,” according to Hanson.
King Charles’s drawings of Queen Elizabeth and Philip aren’t the first royal family items up for auction so far this year. In January 2023, Kim Kardashian bought Princess Diana’s cross pendant for $202,000.
