The artist said he was “overcome with embarrassment” straight after making the comment, during a trip with King Charles and the now late Pope Francis
For decades, a select group of artists have had the privilege of accompanying the Royal Family on their global travels.
While such an experience is typically a career highlight, one artist has expressed deep regret over a comment he made to King Charles.
Renowned British artist Tim Scott Bolton is among those fortunate enough to meet the monarch. Reflecting on a particular encounter, he admitted that he wished one aspect of the event had unfolded differently.
Speaking to the Daily Mail Weekend magazine, Tim reminisced about joining the King on a 2017 tour of Italy, which included a visit to the Vatican City to meet, the now late, Pope Francis.
Initially looking forward to the day’s events, he recalled: “Meeting the Pope must be a highlight of anyone’s life, but I’m still haunted by the thought of whether I got it wrong.”
The artist’s excitement was short-lived, as things took a turn when the then Prince of Wales introduced Tim to the Pope. Scott remembered: “When I was introduced as the tour artist, the Pope turned to the Prince and said, ‘I thought you were the artist’, to which the Prince replied, ‘He paints better’.
“I immediately responded, ‘I disagree’, before being overcome with embarrassment that I should have dared to contradict the Prince of Wales in the presence of the Pope.”
It turns out Tim may have been overly concerned about his remarks, as he has subsequently received invitations for two more Royal visits.
In one adventurous assignment, Tim jetted off to the Middle East to cover Prince Charles’s trip to Jordan and Egypt in 2021.
Moreover, Tim had the privilege of joining Charles on one of his initial European visits after he became King. Sharing his experiences on his website, he mentioned: “I was honoured to be invited to accompany Their Majesties The King and Queen on their first Royal Tour to Germany.”
Detailing the alterations to the trip, he continued: “The French leg of the original programme had to be postponed due to rioting in Paris which left 2 nights in Berlin. The Hotel Adlon, our residence was fortunately adjacent to the Brandenburg gate and the weather was moody but fine so I did what I could in the short time available.”
Fast forward over two years, and the King has celebrated another significant occasion on the Royal agenda.
On Saturday 14 June, he appeared with other members of the Royal Family on Buckingham Palace’s balcony during his Trooping the Colour celebrations.
Among those joining him were; his wife Queen Camilla, Prince William, Kate Middleton, and their three children; Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
The traditional Trooping of the Colour has marked the official birthday of the British Sovereign for over 260 years.
