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 never-before-seen drawing of a kingfisher was created by Prince George, aged just 12 at the time.
Explore its extraordinary history: https://t.co/hY3JUjDCEb
🎨 Prince George | Kensington Palace https://t.co/Qw8qYG1nkz
— Country Life (@Countrylifemag) November 11, 2026
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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- Trooping the Colour 2026 ceremony in celebration of King Charles III’s official birthday Featuring: Prince George Where: London, United Kingdom When: 13 Jun 2026 Credit: Cover Images
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- 16/12/2025, London, UK. The Prince of Wales and Prince George with the CEO of The Passage Mick Clarke during a visit to The Passage in central London.,Image: 1061170332, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: © Kensington Palace. This image is free for use but may only be used for news or editorial reporting purposes. This image must NOT be used for any commercial or other use, save for news or editorial reporting and cannot be altered or amended in any manner or form whatsoever. All rights reserved., Model Release: no , Credit line: Andrew Parsons/Kensington Palace/Avalon
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- 01/08/2026, Glasgow, UK. The Prince and Princess of Wales, Duke and Duchess of Rothesay, with their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis attend the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Saturday 1st August 2026 to watch some of the sporting fixtures taking place.,Image: 1120183306, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: © Kensington Palace. This image may only be used for news or editorial reporting purposes. This image must NOT be used for any commercial or other use, save for news or editorial reporting and cannot be altered or amended in any manner or form whatsoever., Model Release: no , Credit line: Wattie Cheung / Kensington Palace/Avalon
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- 01/08/2026, Glasgow, UK. The Prince and Princess of Wales, Duke and Duchess of Rothesay, with their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis attend the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Saturday 1st August 2026 to watch some of the sports fixtures taking place that day.,Image: 1120183381, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: © Kensington Palace. This image may only be used for news or editorial reporting purposes. This image must NOT be used for any commercial or other use, save for news or editorial reporting and cannot be altered or amended in any manner or form whatsoever., Model Release: no , Credit line: Wattie Cheung / Kensington Palace/Avalon
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- 08/09/2026, Windsor, UK. Prince George begins his first day at Eton College in Windsor, Berkshire.,Image: 1132442113, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no , Credit line: Matt Porteous / Kensington Palace/Avalon
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- London, UNITED KINGDOM Catherine, Princess of Wales (Kate Middleton) and family, attended the final day of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London. Watching from the prestigious Royal Box at Centre Court on July 12, royalty was joined by a star-studded lineup of global celebrities and VIP guests, including Academy Award-winning actor Dustin Hoffman, Vogue editor Anna Wintour, and acclaimed actresses Nicole Kidman and Sienna Miller. Pictured: Prince William, Prince George BACKGRID USA 12 JULY 2026 BYLINE MUST READ: BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Royal family on the balcony during Trooping the Colour 2026 ceremony in celebration of King Charles III’s official birthday Featuring: King Charles III, Queen Camilla, Prince William of Wales, Catherine Princess of Wales, Prince George, Prince Charlotte, Prince Louis Where: London, United Kingdom When: 13 Jun 2026 Credit: Mischa Schoemaker/Dutch Press Photo/Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE NETHERLANDS OR FRANCE**
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- Prince George, accompanied by his parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales, starts his first day at Eton College in Windsor, Berkshire Featuring: Prince George, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince William, Prince of Wales Where: Windsor, Berkshire, United Kingdom When: 07 Sep 2026 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Prince George, accompanied by his parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales, starts his first day at Eton College in Windsor, Berkshire Featuring: Prince George, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince William, Prince of Wales Where: Windsor, Berkshire, United Kingdom When: 07 Sep 2026 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
“Never before seen!” “Extraordinary!” Good heavens, it’s a nicely done sketch of a bird, not a long-lost Picasso.
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
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.
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.
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.
It looks like only one comment questioning his ability, and not much other commentary.
I don’t think I see much of a scandal brewing.
@Thinking you need to head over to Twitter/X and Instagram. Kensington Palace are being called liars, far and wide. The presented like George painted this from scratch when its a copy and paste sketch. Its not just me saying this. Nice try though….Kensington Palace humiliated yet again! BOOM!
I bet William had no idea this was done with the help of a tutorial. He’s just out of touch with his kids.
It doesn’t mean he didn’t draw it, of course not – he may well have, following the tutorial.
But it IS super shady not to credit the original artist who led the tutorial. It is essentially copying that artist’s work, step by step, and so to act as though it is 100% of George’s own creation *when you publish it in a magazine* seems unethical, at best, and potentially a copyright violation at worst.
Again, you want to hang it on the fridge or even frame it in your own home? OK, cool. But to publish it without crediting the instructor who gave the step by step instructions is pretty bad – for anyone, but maybe especially the future monarch?
(For instance, I crochet, and most crochet patterns will indicate that if you sell the items, you must give credit to the pattern designer on the listing.)
@dk, I thought it was bad but then I noticed that KP had actually copyrighted the picture! Surely that must be a copyright violation.
A portion of The Virtual Instructors terms of use:
“The copyright and other intellectual property rights in all material on this Website are owned by us or our licensors and must not be reproduced without our prior consent.”
George’s picture is not significantly different from the original. It is very close, in fact. For Kensington Palace to copyright this image is absolutely ridiculous and as I said before, likely a copyright violation.
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.
I think it’s done quite well, but I’ve always struggled with drawing and sketching.
These kinds of art projects are pretty common to do for older kids in grade school. And a lot of kids can recreate the image quite well. George isn’t special as much as they are trying to pretend he is. By age 12 your motor skills are refined so it’s not some genius level anything.
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.
Just went to look at that reddit thread, and the author points out that that particular kingfisher is an American pygmy kingfisher.
https://www.reddit.com/r/RoyaltyTea/comments/1xtjs0a/prince_georges_drawing_is_copied/
Too bad the Wailses couldn’t find a British one for George to copy…
Thank you for finding that. I had the same thought about the type of kingfisher and posted below. It’s not like George was out in nay-cha sketching a bird, unless he crossed the pond.
If that is really the work of a 12 year old, he’s very talented.
But that’s a big IF.
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.
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.
@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
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
@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.
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
Poor George — always deployed as a weapon in his parents’ arsenal.
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.
And an art history degree makes no one artistic. 🙄
My mom was on the USET! Yet I’m only an ok rider. lol! Maybe if I could take lessons…
I like it. I hope it is all his, it is nice to see a talented child
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
THERE IS ALREADY A SCANDAL. This photo was copied from somewhere else and its blowing up all over Twiiter/X
@Sophieester, in that case, well done William, you absolute moron.
A+ parenting
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.
Recreating a picture with step by step instructions is something a lot of people can do. Also by age 12 being able to do refined strokes is possible for many children.
Yeah, well, it’s looking like this was from a drawing lesson at school. A step by step process using colored pencils. Willing to bet most of the kids in class ended up with something very close to this, some better, some a little worse.
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.
This! Encouraging them to take short cuts aka cheating and then praising them to the heavens for their ‘talents’ while hoodwinking the public who pays their bills! It’s the Royal way of doing things! George is a Wunderkind!
Frankly making a story about a kid recreating a picture on Remembrance Day in the UK is pretty shameful for the Uk media to be doing. This is the last day to be puffing up spoiled rich kids who take from regular Britons, some of whom actually sacrificed their lives to keep this family in luxury.
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).
It’s the dishonesty on how they frame things that’s the story. Acting like it is a genius level art thing to recreate a picture with a step by step tutorial is deceptive when many other 12 year olds could do the same.
Kate gets praised for walking and this is more of the same NK level propaganda.
Drawing on a tablet by tracing over an image displayed on the screen is, first and foremost, a form of play rather than a way to learn how to draw. In fact, it tends to distort the learning process, as it stifles personal initiative and the development of an individual artistic style; it fails to teach one how to grasp proportions or shapes. It is essentially drawing over someone else’s work—a form of amusement, certainly—but you cannot claim it as your own original creation, sign it with your name, or publish it in the press, because that would be a deception. Simply stating the truth would have sufficed; it wouldn’t have made the activity any less fun for Georg—though, in that case, one could no longer go around calling him a genius.
^^This. Copying established artists’ works is a common method of learning to draw. It has been used for hundreds of years. And George did an excellent job. He should get kudos for it… from his parents. But it is not the kind of work that should be published, IMO. They could have asked George to create an original drawing from photographs of the bird. Better yet, SINCE HE’S A KID and deserves privacy and it’s an opportunity to support an artist: hire a wonderfully talented and likely poorly paid wildlife illustrator to provide an original drawing/s for the publication. That actually would be a great way of using their platform — showcase British artists and craftspeople at every opportunity.
@Ocho
Yes, copying the works of masters has been a practice for centuries—but it didn’t involve tracing; rather, it meant painting a new work by applying the master’s specific techniques. One had to already possess drawing skills, a command of the craft, and a high level of technical proficiency—in short, one had to be a skilled painter before a master would even accept them into their studio. This type of copying wasn’t about learning the basics—since the individuals involved were already professional painters—but rather about learning to paint *like* the master, as that was the work they would go on to do. The greatest painters we know left behind a significant body of work that bears their signature but was actually executed by their students—sometimes entirely, sometimes in part. Occasionally, a master would begin several paintings, only for them to be finished by students. At times, a master would even accept a work created entirely by a student as his own. Some students became famous as the master’s *alter ego*; specific sections of well-known masterpieces have been identified as their handiwork, while other paintings—difficult to attribute to a single individual—are classified as originating from a particular master’s school.
The kind of copying you’re referring to has nothing to do with learning the fundamentals.
He wants to brag about an awesome art project his son did? I know we all dislike William but he’s not “evil”. He is a flawed individual with major undressed and unresolved childhood trauma.
His kid probably followed a tutorial (my kids have done similar!!!) and created a sketch that is lovely and his parents want to show it off. Should they realize that people on the internet are terrible and will even tear down a child…yes they should but this is far from a some kind of scandal.
He’s an unrepentant rage monster.
I’m not getting into an argument about what exactly evil means, but he is not a good man.
Totally fine to be impressed with your child’s art, even when they follow a tutorial. My daughter is really into lego, and when she finishes a build it is dang impressive. Even if she followed the directions fully. And I think she is fantastic.
The issue is presenting George’s art like it is some rare, impressive accomplishment. Other kids his age, if they have the interest and inclination, can and will do the same picture, following the same tutorial.
I think, had they included nature art by Charlotte and Louis as well, this would be no big deal. But once again they are setting him apart. And trying to embiggen him as more special than he is. Let the poor kid be a kid. (which they claim to want…)
Exactly this. Normal kids have their art on the fridge. Not included in a publication and sold like some expert level thing. People are being obtuse acting like this is normal parenting. It’s not. It’s a public figure adding to the parasocial relationship so that cultists and British taxpayers keep funding their excessive lifestyle.
Diana wasn’t publishing stuff like this for Harry and William when they were kids.
It’s likely a standard sketch for a 12 year old with some ability, but I’ll admit I was surprised it wasn’t bad, after seeing some of the other nepo babies on social media struggle with making a burger.
They are setting this kid up as if he’s some art prodigy. The secondhand embarrassment is acute.
Most 13-year-olds would be mortified by this. But I guess if you’re the heir to the heir, and you’re told you’re the most special boy ever, it’s par for the course.
The problem is the framing. If they had said, George created this image using a tutorial designed help children learn graphic design or illustration skills, fine motor skills, artistic flair, here’s a link, you can try it at home, that would elicit praise and thanks. Rightfully so. They present it as his original work and not two seconds pass before someone on X is playing gotcha. I mean. I just went to X and read the few comments that appear before you open the app (I refuse to give Musk the satisfaction) and people are comparing it to the fake Mothers’ Day photo and the previous illustration “by George” that was a copy of a greeting card, and…. I predict, the cancer story. Everything with this family is spin. Everything. Nothing is presented in a clear, candid way. It’s spin 100%.
The framing is *always* KP’s problem. Their principals always have to be the absolute bestest at anything ever. William is not only an impressive “global statesman,” (lmfao) but also a DILF and a “hunk” (lmfao again). Plus he’s going to eradicate homelessness completely in just five years (please) as well as rid sports of racism. And we’re to believe that Kate stays up reading ‘scientific’ articles about the early years, etc. Also, how many “forever” homes have they had?
Their PR is so over the top at all times. It just constantly sets them up to look like idiots and failures.
The family photo being so fake requiring a kill order has destroyed way more trust than they realize. And they keep doing the fakest PR stuff that regular people can see through. Only cultists think any of this stuff is sincere.
I’m no artist so well done I guess? But it appears that he just copied it or used a tutorial? Which is totally fine! They just shouldn’t be publishing it in a magazine! It’s not fair to him to set him up like that. He’s 13 ffs.
I have no problem dragging these two for being petty and bad at their job, but as a mom I won’t fault them for bragging about their kids. Using your (royal) influence to put it in a magazine is a little too Kardashian though. Poor George. I bet he’s humiliated and made fun of at school.
Also keen is not an artist. Charles put a lot of time into his sketches. And they are good he is not a prodigy but he learns and improves. Keen never put time enough into learning to be an artist George being called a prodigy when he starts a new school is not the best idea from his parents. Being heir does not guarantee genius.
Oh but Kate is quite the artiste, she colors in coloring books!
Why do they continue to misrepresent things? There is genuine visual arts talent in the Windsor family. Philip and Charles both enjoyed painting landscapes. I believe Sarah Chatto is also an artist, and isn’t one of her sons a ceramicist? Tons of people learn to paint with tutorials. Some people actually want to be able to produce work, and others just do it for fun or as a hobby. I have a few decent pieces myself from painting parties which I hang in my laundry room. Could they not simply say George has an interest in art? Perhaps they could point to some resources, as someone has already suggested. Why do they need to publish his efforts and expose him to this criticism?
Do you remember when Kim K posted a painting North did that was way beyond her age? It turns out it was one of those grid paintings where the kid does it but an art tutor has them minutely copy each square of a grid placed over the original drawing. It’s not a freehand original drawing. It’s copied under a tutor using this method.
At this stage I would not be surprised to find that, just as with the last time they claimed that George the art prodigy had “drawn” something (deer), it had been copied from the original by Kate or a member of staff. They’re building this boy up to be a laughing stock because they’re so desperate for clicks and PR attention, and they double down whenever they’re “caught”.
I don’t know how I feel about this. I think this is just putting unnecessary attention on George. Granted, I’ve seen Richard Palmer complain that they don’t know anything about George and he his the heir but still I don’t like how he’s been projected as this great artist.
I can only imagine the vicious and merciless bullying from his schoolmates.
It’s actually tragic how much this family feels like they have to insist they did it all themselves with 0 help because their sense of inferiority runs so deep. (Learning to draw, doing the 3 peaks alone instead of with family, solving racism by tweeting…)
Kiddo used a tutorial and made a really nice drawing. There’s zero shame in using tutorials or copying as you learn to draw (I traced a book cover to learn to draw unicorns and then horses) but this need to hide it creates a sense of shame and at best will 100% lead these kids to believe the classic – born on third and think they’ve hit a triple. At worst he’ll start stealing from others and calling it his own because he’s up there and they’re down there and it’s normal to claim others achievements.
This is a copy. All they do is LIE. Did they think Noone would find out???
Poor George. There’s no shame in using a tutorial, and good for him for wanting to learn to draw birds.
His parents suck for trying to pass this off as the work of the most talented heir ever. And they suck for always ignoring their other two kids—Charlotte’s 12, surely she’s some some things?
I think it’s quite good. He has a good eye and a good hand. Many people can draw quite well from a young age, It’s not unheard of.. He should be encouraged to pursue it.
As SOPHIE ESTER showed above, this isn’t a drawing that George did free handed but a tutorial that helped him draw this kingfisher, and that’s okay, he did a decent job. The issue is that William, as he and Kate often do, tried to use his children for attention by pretending that he’s some type of artistic genius, when he essentially did what most of us did when we followed along with Bob Ross to paint trees, clouds and lakes. The issue is that by trying to make his son seem better at something that he isn’t that’s putting an unfair and unnecessary burden on him that no parent should do just for more attention. This is the fake Mothering photo and the copied reindeer drawing that they are okay putting their children’s faces front and center with deceptive pictures. Similar to Kate having Charlotte sitting next to her as they have a piano that plays on it’s on in front of them. It’s creepy and not healthy. It reminds me of how Charles would use the boys for photo ops with the press and complain about the press at the same time or when he had the boys walk behind their mother’s casket to avoid boos from the crowds.
Does ‘created by’ mean he used AI or some other computer-assisted program? Or was this part of the ‘help’ his mother was giving him during last year’s earthsh*t? She’s quite accomplished with photoshop; well, experienced anyway.
I don’t understand the big deal here. He obviously took the course and his replica came out well! And they SHOULD be proud. But they absolutely set him up for scrutiny because no one can be normal about it. They need to just stop
The big deal is that he created it from a tutorial and they gave no credit to the artist he copied.
Which makes the original artist look like he plagiarized a 12 year old child.
I would have absolutely no problem with the royals taking pride in how well George does at mastering his techniques by replicating other pieces or taking classes, but they are trying to pass this off as original never before seen artwork from a child prodigy, and I have a problem with that.
Is this even a common kingfisher? It looks like an American kingfisher.
William and Kate’s message is that children should spend more time in nature and less time online or in front of screens. Yet they choose a piece of George’s artwork that he learned to draw using a video lesson on a screen. The irony, hypocrisy and dishonesty are absolutely staggering! Shame on the British media for not digging deeper here and letting them get away with this.
Excellent point!
I agree that kids spend too much time on screens. That doesn’t mean screens should be completely banned and no one should learn anything from one.
It’s great. I really like it. It’s very flat and he needs to get how to model the form etc blah blah but it’s good. Let him enjoy it, I say, because his education will achieve little once he graduates school or university. What career is open to him? For example, George as a doctor – would you trust him to be actually properly competent rather than indulged, would you as a patient be tripping up over his security officers, would a hospital employ someone so high profile at the expense of its day to day running. It must be really strange for their kids; there is no real professional future open to them.
Is Country Life sure that George drew it without help? I could see him getting help.
https://www.tiktok.com/@ministry_of_hacks/video/7707190611828346134?