Prince George's drawing published in special Country Life edition guest-edited by Prince William

Prince's drawing published in the magazine

A drawing of a kingfisher perched on a branch, created by Prince George, has been included in a special edition of Country Life magazine, which was guest-edited by his father, the Prince of Wales. As reported by BBC News, 13-year-old George drew the bird in the spring while at home. According to the publication, the Prince enjoys drawing and appears to be continuing a family tradition: his grandfather, the King, is an avid painter, while his mother, Catherine, and his uncle, the Duke of Sussex, studied art at A-level; Catherine also studied art history at university.

Family portraits and themes of the issue

This is not George's first experience with drawing: in February 2025, Kensington Palace published four portraits, featuring Catherine, George, and his siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, drawing each other. The Palace described the sketches as a 'moment of connection,' allowing them to 'spend time looking at and focusing on each other' creatively. The new 300-page edition of Country Life also includes an interview with Catherine, Princess of Wales, who, according to the magazine, spoke about the healing power of nature—two years ago, she revealed she was undergoing treatment for cancer. Prince William, for his part, discusses walks with the family dogs, Orla and Otto, the children's love for outdoor activities, and his own weakness for visiting a pub for a pint of cider on ice.

Military personnel and 'fanatical' support for Aston Villa

Beyond family themes, Prince William uses the issue to draw attention to the conditions of service for women in the British armed forces. He called for a more inclusive and respectful military culture, stating that more must be done to ensure service members are treated with respect and protected from sexual harassment. This follows the death in 2021 of 19-year-old soldier Sarah Everard: the coroner ruled that the army's inaction contributed to her suicide, having failed to respond to harassment by her immediate superior and sexual assault by another colleague. The issue also reflects the 'fanatical,' according to the Prince, support for the football club Aston Villa: team manager Unai Emery described the Prince's loyalty to the club as 'fantastic' and added, 'If we can give him good news, good results, or good moments in football, we are proud of that.'

Royal tradition of guest editing

Prince William is not the first member of the royal family to become a guest editor of Country Life: the King has edited the magazine several times, including for his 65th and 70th birthdays, and previously, editions were also overseen by Queen Camilla and Anne, Princess Royal. The edition guest-edited by the Prince of Wales was published this week.

Image source, Kensington Palace/Press Association

Image source, PA Media

Image source, Kensington Palace