Contemporary portrait artist Louise Pragnell has gained acclaim for her diverse body of work, from private commissions to large-scale group portraits. One of her most notable experiences is her encounter with Princess Anne, which stands out not only for the art but also for the royal’s genuine and down-to-earth nature.
Louise’s first sitting with the Princess Royal took place in 2010, during which she unveiled her painting, “Officers of the Household Cavalry”. Reflecting on the occasion, she recalled an embarrassing mistake. “She was the first royal I met and I got my curtsey all wrong. It was so embarrassing,” she admitted to Hello! Magazine.
Despite the artist’s initial nervousness, Princess Anne broke from traditional royal protocol right away. “She walked in and waved and said, ‘Hello’,” Louise said. “She’s a seriously impressive person. She stood in heavy robes for two hours.” The Princess even inquired about Louise’s comfort: “Halfway through, I said, ‘Ma’am do you need a break?’ She was like, ‘No, do you need a break Louise?’.”
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This mutual concern showcased Princess Anne’s considerate nature. Since that first sitting, Louise has had the honour of painting the Princess on two more occasions. In 2025, she completed a striking 2.5-metre portrait of Anne commissioned by the Worshipful Company of Saddlers. The painting features the 75-year-old royal in formal Intelligence Corps Mess Dress, with every shade chosen for its historical significance.
Louise also recounted another nerve-wracking royal moment from 2023, when she presented her portrait of the Irish Guards to the Prince and Princess of Wales. Just minutes before their arrival, the easel started to tip forward. “We had people lying on the floor with screwdrivers [to fix it with minutes to spare],” she remembered.
Throughout her experiences, Louise noticed a consistent trait among the royals: their ability to put others at ease. “They’ll want to feel that I’m going to get what I need,” she shared, emphasizing their empathetic approach.
This sentiment is echoed by Dame Joanna Lumley, who has praised Princess Anne’s composed and comforting demeanour. When Lumley was honoured with her damehood at Buckingham Palace in 2022 for her contributions to drama, entertainment, and charity, she described becoming overwhelmed with emotion at the intimate ceremony.
“There was the Princess Royal smiling so sweetly and giving such a grin and I choked up and I couldn’t say a word and I said to her, ‘I can’t speak,’ and she whispered, ‘Never mind, never mind’,” Lumley recounted on Chris Evans' Virgin Radio Breakfast Show. Such moments highlight the Princess Royal’s true colours—grace, kindness, and an innate ability to ease even the tensest moments.