Childhood drawings by King Charles featuring Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip to fetch thousands at auction

The crayon and pencil portraits depict his mother, QueenElizabeth II, and father, Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, and were penned when the King was just five years old. The drawings show both parents in grand attire with the queen wearing a striped dress with purple tiara, red earrings and one of her iconic handbags.

Prince Philip is sporting a smart dinner suit and bow tie and the poignant sketches are both inscribed ‘Mummy’ and ‘Papa’. They were produced by a young Charles around 1953-1955. The drawings are now expected to fetch between £5,000-£10,000 when they go under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers, in Etwall, Derbyshire, on June 16.

They are part of an ‘extraordinary’ royal memorabilia collection which includes ten early drawings by the King. It also includes royal letters, family photos, Christmas cards and a 1937 Buckingham Palace manuscript menu diary.

They were mostly amassed from the 1950s-1970s by author, journalist and former royal correspondent Henry Ramsay Maule. Maule, from Reading, was the author of several books and worked as British correspondent at the New York Daily News for 21 years specialising in royal stories.

The items, which were given to him to assist with his work, were inherited by his family when he died in 1981 and are now being sold on. Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons Auctioneers, said: “This is an extraordinarily touching collection.

"These poignant childhood drawings and emotive photos remind us that away from the pomp, pageantry and demands of serving the nation, our royals treasure the ordinary, every-day moments of family life. Given a crayon and pencil, nearly every child’s first drawings depict their family. Our King was no different.

"This collection will help people relate to him even more in his role as our monarch. The items were given to Henry Maule to support his work in documenting the life of the Royal Family, which included writing All The Queen’s Children.

"They have remained tucked away for more than 40 years since his death in 1981. The time has now come for others to enjoy them and gain fresh insight into the lives of the British Royal Family.”

Other early drawings by King Charles set for auction include a pair of carmine bee-eater birds, signed ‘Charles’, expected to fetch £2,000-£4,000. A delivery van in Harrods-style livery stating ‘Happybright, Mr Charles’s Shop’ could also make £2,000-£3,000.

A picture of a rabbit, owl, deer, squirrels, and an Easter card featuring the Easter bunny are expected to make a total of around £6,500. Another touching item is a cartoon illustration, from around 1954-56, made by Charles for his father.

It depicts a master sailor receiving a tot of ‘Hair Restorer’ from an urn labelled ‘Lilac Flavour’. It comes with a note, dated March 25, 1954 reading: "Dear Papa, I am longing to see you in the ship, Love from Charles". Handmade cards by a very young Princess Anne for her father, featuring a yacht, house and balloons, are also set for auction, £300-£600.

Photos from 1957-61 also show a young King Charles, Princess Anne, Princess Margaret, King George VI, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mother. Further images set for auction show Prince Philip from childhood through to adult life, including photos of him playing with a kitten.