King Charles’ artwork fetches nearly 10 times the estimated price, stuns auctioneers

(Image credit: .bonhams.com)

King Charles' painting of the royal residence where his mother, Elizabeth II, died in September has been auctioned for a price nearly 10 times of what was estimated.

The artwork of Balmoral Castle fetched £5,737.50 at an auction organised by London-based Bonhams, one of the world's largest auctioneers of antiques and art. It was expect to sell for £400-£600, The Telegraph reported.

It is just one of the 100 prints of the painting Charles completed in 2001. Signed by the king, it is framed and comes with a certificate of authenticity.

The number of bids that the print drew surprised auctioneers.

"We were quite flabbergasted to see the level of interest in this. We've had interest from all over the globe," Bonhams Managing Director May Matthews told The Telegraph. "Prints that Charles has done usually go for around £400-£600."

A limited-edition print of a royal's artwork is expected to draw attention, but many say that Balmoral's link to Queen Elizabeth led to a spike in interest in it.

"It has a new resonance in the nation and in the world," Bonhams senior valuer Hamish Wilson told CNN. "It's a rare occurrence."

King Charles has produced several paintings depicting royal castles. He once said he started painting because he found photography "less than satisfying".

“Quite simply, I experienced an overwhelming urge to express what I saw through the medium of watercolour and to convey that almost ‘inner’ sense of texture, which is impossible to achieve via photography," he was quoted as saying by The Scotsman.

Charles added that he did not consider his sketches to be markers of growing talent or great art.