Focus
A portrait of The Prince of Wales in Black Watch uniform is released
18th April 2007
The Prince of Wales revealed a unique piece of regimental history yesterday when he unveiled a painting of himself wearing the No1 Dress uniform of The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment).
The Prince of Wales, who is known as The Duke of Rothesay in Scotland, was Colonel-in-Chief of The Black Watch from April 2003 until March 2006.
His Royal Highness took on the role of Colonel-in-Chief after the death of his grandmother Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother who had held it for 65 years.
Three years after The Prince was appointed Colonel-in-Chief, the infantry in Scotland was merged and the titles and uniforms changed.
When The Black Watch was merged into the Royal Regiment of Scotland on 28th March 2006, The Prince of Wales was appointed Royal Colonel of The Black Watch Battalion, while The Queen became Colonel-in-Chief of the new regiment.
The painting was unveiled yesterday (Wednesday 18th April) at a ceremony at Birkhall, near Balmoral in Scotland.
“It is a unique portrait because The Prince will never wear that uniform again,” said Black Watch Secretary, Lieutenant Colonel Roddy Riddell.
“This is a very special commission as The Prince took the role of Colonel-in-Chief of The Black Watch very seriously indeed and he has been a regular visitor to the regimental family showing enormous concern for the wellbeing and welfare of everyone.”
The painting, by 28-year-old Suffolk artist Georgina Barclay, was commissioned by the Trustees of The Black Watch. She described her task as “an honour and a pleasure”.
She said: “It has been a great honour to have been asked to paint The Duke of Rothesay for a regiment with such a long and glorious history as The Black Watch and I am very proud that the portrait will form part of that history.”
“The Prince of Wales was delighted to sit for this unique portrait which will have a very special place in both Scottish military and Black Watch history,” said Lt Col Riddell, “providing a unique historical record of the Royal family’s links to The Black Watch.”
For two weeks from the 25th April the painting will be exhibited at the prestigious Royal Society of Portrait Painters exhibition in London.
From mid-May, the painting will be on public display at the newly upgraded Regimental Museum in Balhousie Castle, Perth in Scotland.
Click here to find out more about The Prince of Wales’s special relationships and regiments.
Click here to find out more about the title, The Duke of Rothesay.