SIMI VALLEY : Library to Exhibit Prince’s Watercolors

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library is planning to exhibit 40 watercolors by His Royal Highness Charles, Prince of Wales, heir to the British throne and--somewhat less regally--landscape painter.

The show of Prince Charles’ 40 landscapes of the British countryside is set to open Nov. 18 at the presidential library in Simi Valley at the request of former First Lady Nancy Reagan, said library spokeswoman Lynda Schuler.

The prince is an avid outdoorsman and conservationist who has been sketching and painting for more than 20 years and carries paints and brushes wherever he goes, according to library officials.

Prince Charles painted most of the landscapes in the countryside around the English Royal Family’s estates in Balmoral, Scotland, and Sandringham, Norfolk.

The prince usually sketches what he sees with pencil on small sheets of watercolor paper, then paints in the colors, Schuler said. She added, “They’re traditional watercolors, very light brushwork.”

Proceeds from the sale of a book and lithograph prints of the prince’s paintings in the library bookstore will go to the Prince’s Charities Trust, which benefits inner-city youth and environmental causes in the United Kingdom.

The exhibit will be shown daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Jan. 7, and admission is included in the price of general admission to the Ronald Reagan Museum. A display of Christmas trees from around the world also opens Nov. 18.

Admission is $4 for adults, $2 for senior citizens and free for children under age 16.