When he was in childhood, King Charles III of the United Kingdom he painted the royal portraits of his parents. Today the children’s sketches are sold at auction and it is estimated that the price for their acquisition will reach up to 12,000 dollars.

The crayon and pencil portraits of King Charles III depict ‘Mum’ and ‘Dad’, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.

King Charles originally created the works around 1953 or 1955 when he was about 5 or 6 years old, according to auction house Hansons Auctioneers.

The sketches, estimated to sell for between $6,300 and $12,600, are part of a larger collection of royal memorabilia that includes 10 other drawings by the king, royal letters, family photos, Christmas cards and Buckingham’s handwritten 1937 meal diary.

Author, journalist and royal correspondent Henry Ramsay Mole collected the items in the 1950s – 1970s. He then stored his possessions for over three decades until his death in 1981.

The paintings of King Charles

This is an extremely moving collection,” says Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons Auctioneers in a presentation of the collection on the auction house’s website. “These poignant childhood drawings and heartwarming photographs remind us that far from the pomp and demands of serving the nation, our royals cherish the ordinary, everyday moments of family life. Every child’s first drawings depict their family. Our king was no different. This collection will help people connect with him even more in his role as our monarch“, he added.

Today’s auction includes photographs of Queen Elizabeth II as a young woman, Prince Philip as a child and Princess Margaret.

The paintings of King Charles