King Charles's bond with his cousin Lady Sarah Chatto: The pair share a talent and passion for painting and the arts
Although she does not undertake official duties, Lady Sarah Chatto is a beloved member of the Royal Family.
Sarah, 61, who is the daughter of Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones, the 1st Earl of Snowdon, shared a strong bond with her aunt, Queen Elizabeth II.
After Margaret's death, the pair grew closer and the late Queen frequently invited Sarah to her favourite hideaway, Craigowan Lodge, in Aberdeenshire.
Sarah is also believed to have a close relationship with her cousin, King Charles III.
The two are said to enjoy spending leisure time painting together at Balmoral whenever possible.
Princess Margaret and Armstrong-Jones, had two children: David, born in 1961, and Sarah, born in 1964.
However, their marriage was marred by infidelity, ultimately leading to their divorce in 1978 after a turbulent two-year separation.
During this difficult time, family holidays at the royal estates of Sandringham and Balmoral provided some comfort for 14-year-old Sarah, who often spent time with cousins Prince Andrew and Prince Edward.
Sarah and her brother, David, spent much of their childhood at Kensington Palace, where their parents were a strong influence in their lives.
Lord Snowdon, a renowned society photographer, nurtured their creative talents in art and design, with Sarah and David going on to become an artist and furniture maker, respectively.
Sarah developed a particular passion for landscape painting - an interest she shares with her cousin, King Charles.
After leaving school with an A-level in Art, Sarah studied at the Camberwell School of Art and later the Royal Academy Schools.
Since 1995, she has been exhibiting works of art, under her maiden name - Sarah Armstrong-Jones - at The Redfern Gallery in London.
In a recent show, over three-quarters of Sarah's paintings were sold, most of which were expressive landscapes rendered in bold colours.
She has been honoured with numerous awards, including the Winsor & Newton Prize in 1988 and the Creswick Landscape Prize in 1990.
Like his cousin, King Charles is a talented artist and has become quite a dab hand with watercolours.
Charles has been interested in the artform since he was a young child, and during his youth he painted his parents, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip.
In 2022, 79 of the King's watercolour pieces were displayed at Chelsea's Garrison Chapel, marking the first full exhibition of his work in the medium.
The paintings depicted Scottish landscapes, such as the Huna Mill at John O'Groats and Glen Callater near Balmoral, and scenes from the south of France and Tanzania.
In a display panel, Charles said the hobby 'refreshes parts of the soul which other activities can't reach'.
He continued: 'It all requires the most intense concentration and consequently is one of the most relaxing and therapeutic exercises I know.
'In fact, in my case, I find it transports me into another dimension which, quite literally, refreshes parts of the soul which other activities can't reach.'
Sarah has strong royal connections, having served as a chief bridesmaid at Princess Anne's 1973 wedding to Mark Phillips and Charles's 1981 nuptials to Princess Diana. She is also a godmother to their son, Prince Harry.
Additionally, she is a godmother to Lady Louise Windsor, the daughter of Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex, as well as to Lady Rose Gilman, the daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
Following in her mother's footsteps, Sarah, who is 28th in line to the throne, became president of The Royal Ballet School in June. She had previously served as vice president for 20 years.
Although she maintains a relatively low profile, she is known to attend significant royal events, such as last year's Royal Ascot.
Demonstrating their close relationship, Sarah and her family accompanied the King and Queen to Crathie Kirk on the first anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's death in 2023.
She, along with her husband, Daniel, and their two sons, Samuel and Arthur, were seen walking to and from the service.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
5 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
US music legend announces huge Glasgow shows as he plays first Scottish gig in eight years
It comes days after a cryptic post left tongues wagging ICON'S RETURN US music legend announces huge Glasgow shows as he plays first Scottish gig in eight years Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) US rock legend David Byrne is coming to Scotland next year amid a string of global concert dates. The Talking Heads frontman, 73, is bringing his Who is the Sky? tour to the SEC Armadillo in Glasgow. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 6 David Byrne is bringing his exciting world tour to Glasgow Credit: Getty 6 Talking Heads posed in Amsterdam, Netherlands in June 1977 Credit: Redferns 6 Dumbarton-born Byrne wears a kilt at a 1997 concert in Belgium Credit: Getty 6 Jerry Harrison, David Byrne, Chris Frantz, and Tina Weymouth of the Talking Heads Credit: Michael Ochs Archives - Getty It comes eight years after the Dumbarton-born singer last graced the stage of his native homeland. The Burning Down the House hitmaker hasn't played live since his American Utopia tour - which was hailed by critics as one of the best live shows of all time. An online blurb for his latest tour reads: "In 2023, as his triumphant American Utopia era came to a close after morphing from an album and tour into an acclaimed Broadway show and then a Spike Lee-directed HBO film, David Byrne began jotting down the occasional groove, chord or melody. It had been a minute." The world tour comes as the iconic musician releases his first new album since 2018, titled Who is the Sky? The record was produced by Grammy-winning Kid Harpoon, who has worked with industry icons including Harry Styles and Miley Cyrus. Meanwhile members of New York-based chamber ensemble Ghost Train Orchestra helped arrange 12 tracks on the album. Byrne will be in Glasgow next year on Friday 6 March and Saturday 7 March. Briefs are priced from £42.25 for seats near the back of the venue to £180 for front row seats. Tickets for the gigs go on sale at 10am on Friday 13 June. It comes days after Byrne's Talking Heads teased fans with a possible reunion. Moment Sabrina Carpenter's tour bus arrives at Glasgow hotel as fans queue outside Hydro The US rockers posted a video on social media showing the moon at night and the sun emerging from clouds with the date June 5, 2025. Eager fans hope it hints the previously warring group are reforming. But June 5 is also the date they first played live - in 1975 at New York's CBGB club. It could herald the release of a remastered recording of that gig. 6 A picture of Byrne performing in Chicago, Illinois, dated October 1979 Credit: Getty - Contributor 6 The US rocker will next year play the SEC Armadillo in Glasgow Credit: Getty The band - who split in 1991 and whose hits include Once in a Lifetime and Road to Nowhere - last played together in 2002 at their induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Frontman Byrne, 73, said at the time more music was unlikely due to "bad blood" and musical differences. Their last live gig was in 1984 in New Zealand.
Scottish Sun
5 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
I landed a massive Netflix role after I dyed my hair ginger
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) NETFLIX sensation Leah Byrne has revealed how she became a real head-turner – after deciding to go red. The newcomer from Yoker, Glasgow, has been the standout as DC Rose Dickson in the new cop drama Dept. Q which rocketed to the top of the streaming service's charts. 3 The newcomer has been the standout as DC Rose Dickson Credit: PA 3 Leah believes the highlight of her career came after she ditched her natural locks Credit: Jamie Simpson/Netflix 3 The series is based on the books Department Q by bestselling author Jussi Adler-Olsen But Leah, 28, believes the highlight of her career so far came after she decided to ditch her natural dark locks for more of a copper-tinged Scottish look. She says: 'My hair's normally dark brunette but I've dyed it for about three years now as I just felt like doing it. 'But yeah, since going copper, I think I definitely have a more Scottish look going on that has helped me get noticed because up until now I have mainly been working in theatre.' One of the first major TV jobs Leah landed as a redhead was for Tennent's Lager's Ooft campaign which ran last year in the build-up to the Euros Finals in Germany. And that proved to be a big surprise for the cast and crew of Dept. Q, which was filmed almost exclusively in Edinburgh last year. She says: 'While we were filming, the football was on and the crew were in the pub next to the set when I started getting messages like, 'We've just seen you in a Tennent's ad'. That surprised them.' But playing police cadet Dickson has proved to be her big break as she does not look out of place beside an all-star cast including fellow Scots Kelly Macdonald, Shirley Henderson, Jamie Sives, Kate Dickie and Mark Bonnar. In fact Leah's role alongside Alexej Manvelov, as police station civilian worker Akram Salim, proves to be pivotal in the series which features Matthew Goode as DCI Carl Morck - the cop tasked with setting up the new cold case unit staffed by a bunch of police misfits. The pair even appear in the promo poster for the show alongside former Downton Abbey fave Goode. Leah says: 'When we saw we were in the poster we started texting each other saying, 'We've made it'. It's so cool. A dream come true.' Clash of Clans coming to Netflix in new animated TV series Although Leah's older brother Nathan is also an actor, the pair do not come from a showbiz background with dad Pete working as a postie and mum Liz a retired call centre worker. She says: 'There were no youth groups in Yoker so I used to get the bus into the city where I went to the Scottish Youth Theatre from when I was 11. 'I started those classes because I was the most shy child. I would just cry at the drop of a hat. I hated socialising, hated doing anything but joining the Youth Theatre gave me that bit of confidence I needed.' Leah went on to study at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, graduating in 2019. She adds: 'I met people at the Youth Theatre who believed in me and really pushed me to make acting a job. So thanks to them, I'm sitting here now.' But Leah admits she was left starstruck during her first days on set alongside the likes of Trainspotting star Kelly, who plays therapist Dr Rachel Irving, however, she did well not to show it. She explains: 'I did a self-tape (audition video) about two years ago now, and I remember reading the script and being like, 'This is amazing, this is so big, like, I really hope I get it'. 'Then I got the part which was like Christmas for me, just waiting for it to start filming. 'But when I got the full cast list through, I saw that not only would I be working with Matthew Goode himself, but also it was a list of just about every massive Scottish star there is. 'I remember meeting Kelly Macdonald and thinking back to when I was maybe like seven or eight years old and going to see Nanny McPhee in the cinema with my mum on a rainy bank holiday. 'She was Miss Evangeline. She's been part of my life, and then I was next to her in the make-up trailer getting my hair done. 'Did I mention that to her? No. I just said, 'Hi, how are you?'. But I'm sure if I had, she would have been cool because everybody who worked on this show was lovely.' The Netflix series is based on the books Department Q by bestselling Danish author Jussi Adler-Olsen, with their Copenhagen setting swapped for the cobbled streets of Edinburgh. And the show certainly shows the tourist capital in a different light, kicking off with an explosive start when three cops are gunned down at a crime scene. Leah says: 'I think that's what the show does so well, is that we're not afraid to go to some dark and quite intense places. 'But I think also mirroring that, there's some really, really funny comedic moments too. Comedy shines through when you're in the darkest of moments.' 'I don't think you can have one without the other. And so I think that's what makes the show so special. It goes from being intense, but then the next scene you'll be laughing about something silly.' She adds: 'That's what I love about Rose and the show in general. She is so colourful. She's like a beam of light that kind of jumps through.' While Leah is definitely one of the country's most exciting acting talents, she is happy to admit that Rose's hairstyle helped her grab the limelight in a show packed with big names. She says: 'I love Rose's hair. That was Lizzi (Lawson Zeiss), our hair and makeup designer, who found this amazing reference photo of a model with gorgeous tight, curly, ginger hair. 'We both fell in love with it and tried to recreate it, but I had quite short hair at the time. So Lizzi decided to just curl my hair and see what happens. 'By the end of it I had this gorgeous mop of curls that just felt so right. I then did a screen test and everyone said it felt like Rose.' And despite her blossoming stardom, Leah has no intentions of going incognito anytime soon. She adds: 'Ever since I've dyed my hair people have been so kind about it. I can't imagine myself without it now. So the copper is going nowhere - it's here to stay.' All nine episodes of Dept. Q are available to stream now on Netflix.
The Herald Scotland
5 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Dumbstruck in Dumfries: I discovered my Scots great gran was a hussy
This had the makings of a disaster. The BBC's long-running genealogy show had chosen as its subject one Diane Morgan. As her alter ego Philomena Cunk, Morgan has made her name lampooning the likes of WDYTYA, with its talking head experts and presenters who go on 'journeys'. Her sitcom, Mandy, once referenced a show called Who Are You, Do You Think? ('Not as good as Danny Dyer's but still all right'). I know WDYTYA has been a bit boring lately - frankly, some of the 'celebrities' have been human sleeping tablets - but come on, wasn't this a case of TV eating itself? As Morgan said: 'I never thought in a million years you'd actually ask me to be on it.' Bolton born and bred and now living in Bloomsbury (nice), Morgan had three aims: to learn more about her Aunty Ginny's fiance, Albert Dugdale, who died in the First World War; to trace her Scottish roots in Dumfries; and to find out the identity of 'German Charlie', the stuff of family legend. As she suspected, Morgan's journey was far from glam. She travelled on buses and suburban trains to small town libraries, all the while supplying her own self-deprecating commentary. 'Can I pretend to pay cos I'm with the film crew?' she asked a bus driver. There was a lot of weaving in her background. German Charlie's story was part of that history and wasn't terribly interesting unless you were into chimneys. Aunty Ginny, Morgan discovered, lived near the rest of the family in Bolton, as many of her generation did. That didn't set the heather on fire either. But Dumfries and Morgan's four times great-grandmother Isabella? Now you're talking. Isabella turned out to have had five children to four different fathers. History could relate this because she had taken all the absent fathers to court for child support. As a result, a record of her existence existed - a rarity for a woman, even more so someone who was working class. Young Diane at home in Bolton with her family (Image: PHOTOGRAPHER:Diane Morgan) Between the lines there was obvious sadness. One record said Isabella had been known to the local lads as 'an improper character'. 'I thought you were going to tell me I was related to Robert the Bruce or Robert Burns, one of the Roberts,' said Morgan. 'Instead my great, great, great grandmother was a bit of a hussy.' For fear of spoilers I'm not going to say what happened next in Dumfries, or how Morgan got on tracing Albert Dugdale's family to give them the 'death penny' that had been kept safe in her family. If you haven't seen the show you are in for a treat. Morgan's WDYTYA probably isn't destined for the hall of fame. But the very ordinariness of the people we learned about was what made them special. They weren't kings or queens or captains of industry or explorers, they did dull jobs and lived in terraced houses, but they were here once, and their lives mattered. Whoever decided Diane Morgan would be a good pick for WDYTYA should be given a pay rise. This could have been a disaster; instead it was a triumph.
