Prince George’s illustration of a kingfisher was published in Country Life

The current issue of Country Life magazine was guest-edited by Prince William. We’ve been hearing about it all week, from William’s love of pubs to his obsession with cider to Princess Kate’s nature stuff. But William also included something else in this issue of Country Life: an illustration of a kingfisher, drawn by Prince George:

This is not the first time Prince William and Kate have published their kids’ drawings or art work. They’ve done it before, to mixed results and some accusations that George’s art (in particular) has been faked or copied. I actually think it’s kind of weird that William would set up George in this way, because I’m already seeing a lot of commentary and side-by-side evidence that there’s more to this particular illustration than meets the eye. Why would you put your 13-year-old son in that position?

All that being said, the Windsors are sort of known for being frustrated artists. King Charles especially – Charles loves to paint and he loves the art community. Princess Margaret’s artistic gifts were musical. Prince Harry used to paint and I think he’s a keen amateur photographer.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid, Cover Images.

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24 Responses to “Prince George’s illustration of a kingfisher was published in Country Life”

  1. Alicky says:
    November 11, 2026 at 8:28 am

    “Never before seen!” “Extraordinary!” Good heavens, it’s a nicely done sketch of a bird, not a long-lost Picasso.

    Reply
    • SophieEster says:
      November 11, 2026 at 8:48 am

      Check twitter/X. George didnt paint that. Yet another Kensington Palace scandal. The topic is blowing up like crazy. Here: https://x.com/MeghansMeyhive/status/2120496500316704839/photo/1

      Reply
      • Becks1 says:
        November 11, 2026 at 8:53 am

        That doesn’t necessarily mean that he didn’t draw it, just that he followed that online tutorial step by step.

        Whether he followed the tutorial or it’s a complete fake and he’s never even thought of a kingfisher – why are they setting him up for this? They insist they want to protect their children but set George up for public scrutiny over something that’s so not necessary.

      • Jais says:
        November 11, 2026 at 8:57 am

        Yeah, that’s the issue I have. Why are they setting him up? It’s a lovely picture for parents to enjoy and hang on the dang fridge. But to put it in a magazine? Why???? I’m projecting here, but if that was me at 13, I’d be mortified.

      • bisynaptic says:
        November 11, 2026 at 8:57 am

        It looks like George drew the bird, based on the tutorial. It’s not a painting, it’s a pencil sketch, or drawing. Standard stuff.

  2. Neeve says:
    November 11, 2026 at 8:28 am

    Its so easy to draw a master piece these days, there are tutorials on youtube where you can do it in a particular sequence and it looks like a seasoned artist did it.

    Reply
  3. Nanea says:
    November 11, 2026 at 8:31 am

    I’m Team Kingfisher.

    I’ve already seen several Twitterati linking to a reddit with exactly that same kingfisher.

    Too bad no one in the British media calls the Mountbatten Windsors out on their fakery.

    If the M-Ws only admitted to George having been *inspired by*, it wouldn’t be nearly half as bad.

    Reply
  4. KellySays says:
    November 11, 2026 at 8:31 am

    If that is really the work of a 12 year old, he’s very talented.

    But that’s a big IF.

    Reply
    • Tessa says:
      November 11, 2026 at 8:36 am

      This is a rerun where george was credited with a sketch of a deer. The real artist did the sketch first a Christmas card. The real artist spoke up. It was traced in copied by george. This is the same almost of keen faking piano playing.

      Reply
    • seraphina says:
      November 11, 2026 at 8:40 am

      That is a really BIG IF. And some called it a masterpiece. If that is not his work or if it’s been heavily altered – I can now understand why Wills and Charles are big toddler babies who soil their undies when they do not get their way: imagine, from a very young age, of having everything you do be inflated and EVERYONE placating you at every turn.

      Reply
    • Lorelei says:
      November 11, 2026 at 8:41 am

      @KellySays, same. Obviously I have no idea if George did it himself or not, but if he did, it’s excellent and certainly much better than I could do.

      If George didn’t in fact draw it himself and William is just trying to show off how “talented” his son is, he can fck right off for putting his child in the position of everyone scrutinizing it and trying to prove George didn’t really do it on his own. Good times for a teenager who just started at a new school. A+ parenting

      Reply
      • Tessa says:
        November 11, 2026 at 8:47 am

        It looks too much like a print in a picture book of birds. To be georges. Again scoot paying more attention to the heir. He could mention all of them and how well they are doing without trying to promote george as a prodigy

      • Lorelei says:
        November 11, 2026 at 8:57 am

        @Tessa, ITA that there are plenty of complimentary (yet normal) things that William could say about his son without resorting to pretending that he’s some artistic child prodigy. Although we don’t know how much time Bill actually even spends with his kids.

  5. Tessa says:
    November 11, 2026 at 8:32 am

    Thus happened before with that reindeer sketch which was actually on a holiday card. And not original artwork from george who did this by himself. And all the keen fans say george got the talent from Charles and keen. Charles can do original artwork
    Keen doesn’t she supposedly us the best photographer according to fans. Parents send drawings by their young kids but george is a teen now and labeled a great artist by keen fans. I notice svooter does not showcase the younger two. George also has classmates who don’t have sketches in a magazine

    Reply
    • Alicky says:
      November 11, 2026 at 8:40 am

      Poor George — always deployed as a weapon in his parents’ arsenal.

      Reply
    • seraphina says:
      November 11, 2026 at 8:44 am

      I can only imagine how real artists feel having their art bypassed while seeing this Kinkade like art. And some publications say his mother’s art and art history degree is where he got his talent. Sure Jan. I studied political science in college, but it does not make my kids politicians.

      Reply
  6. sunnyside up says:
    November 11, 2026 at 8:42 am

    I like it. I hope it is all his, it is nice to see a talented child

    Reply
    • Tessa says:
      November 11, 2026 at 8:50 am

      I see it as giving the heir the most praise. He could say they are all doing well in school and like music and so on

      Reply
  7. SophieEster says:
    November 11, 2026 at 8:45 am

    THERE IS ALREADY A SCANDAL. This photo was copied from somewhere else and its blowing up all over Twiiter/X

    Reply
  8. Harla says:
    November 11, 2026 at 8:57 am

    Young aristocrats and royals have long been trained, from an early age, in the arts. I’ve seen photographs of watercolors of young people that are really very good, so I don’t doubt that George couldn’t create this piece.

    Reply
  9. Kasztanka says:
    November 11, 2026 at 9:02 am

    Did they mention the author, too? 🤣
    What “talented” children they are: there’s the “virtuoso” Charlotte, who in one video “plays” the piano alongside her mother—except the instrument is playing itself, and they’re just pretending—and then there’s the “artist” George, who was credited in a magazine as the creator of a piece that already existed online.
    And the media just mindlessly repeats and promotes these deceptions.
    The greatest harm is done to the children themselves, by teaching them—exactly what their mommy and daddy do—that there’s no need to actually learn anything; you can just cheat and still be showered with praise.
    It’s truly painful to watch: with such resources at their disposal, instead of investing in the children’s genuine development, they invest in keeping up appearances and teaching them how to deceive.

    Reply
  10. mblates says:
    November 11, 2026 at 9:03 am

    i don’t know. there’s nothing wrong with copying other’s art as you try to learn. it’s a proven techninque, really. the link SophiEster posted above looks like an actual tutorial, so there’s nothing wrong with george copying that and trying to increase or hone his skills. again, that’s how you learn. as many here have said, the fault lies with the parents and the media blowing this up as some original masterpiece from a child genius. it gives george no room to explore or learn, or to feel ok with making mistakes or creating something that’s not perfect (which is something a lot of artists or learning artists struggle with anyway).

    Reply

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