The Prince of Wales has been given a flattering new look in a portrait for the cover of Tatler magazine. William will appear on the magazine's June issue with a fuller head of hair in a new painting by Nigerian artist Oluwole Omofemi.
The artwork, commissioned for the publication's annual Commonwealth portrait series, depicts the heir apparent in a navy suit with a blue tie, set against a bright yellow background. This backdrop is similar to the one used in Omofemi's portrait of Queen Elizabeth II four years ago, which gave the late monarch a youthful appearance reminiscent of her image following her coronation in 1953, complete with dark hair and smooth skin.
The latest portrait of William shows him beaming and is captioned 'a prince for our times'. Frequently seen with a fuller hairstyle in the 1990s, the prince has never publicly discussed his hair loss, which began in his early 20s, as reported by the Telegraph. Male pattern baldness is a hereditary condition affecting up to 50% of men by age 50.
In his latest portrait, Omofemi follows a long tradition of artists making their subjects appear more flattering than in real life. One famous example is the 1939 portrait of Anne of Cleves by Hans Holbein the Younger, which secured her betrothal to Henry VIII. However, the king later called off their short marriage, allegedly branding her a 'Flanders mare'. Henry VIII's daughter, Elizabeth I, was also touched up in her famous Armada portrait, where she is depicted with bright red hair and an unblemished white face, despite having suffered from smallpox.
Last year's Tatler June edition featured a portrait of King Charles III and Queen Camilla by Philip Butah, marking their 20th wedding anniversary.
