Thursday October 28, 11:12 PM
Where's Royal Wally?
A SOCIETY artist is set to infuriate the Royal family with a controversial painting of a grinning James Hewitt alongside Princes William and Harry.
Wilf Plowman - who has sold paintings to Princess Anne and Prince Philip - used the setting of an agricultural show to picture Wills and Harry with
a beaming Hewitt leaning out of a steam traction engine behind them.
But last night artist Wilf was unrepentant over his latest work - known as a Where's Wally picture because of its use of hidden characters - which is
due to go on display at Exeter University next week.
He claimed his Hewitt-and-the-princes picture is merely an observation of public life.
And he added: "I don't really care what people think about it.
"I'm certainly not worried about pleasing my wealthier customers. I'm just an artist who likes to paint."
The 4ft x 3ft painting also includes portraits of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles, Tony and Cherie Blair and Transport minister John "Two Jags" Prescott
shown riding on a donkey.
Closer inspection also shows Foreign Secretary Robin Cook carrying the head of Shadow Home Secretary Anne Widdecombe.
William Hague and Michael Portillo appear at loggerheads over a two-man saw with Des Lynam apparently judging their efforts.
It also includes portraits of Devon County Show officials.
And one show member said: "This is causing a huge stink.
"Prince Charles is due to take over from the Queen as our patron in 2002. We can do without any embarrassing links to James Hewitt."
Show manager John Sandford said yesterday: "I understand there are likenesses of our officials in the picture, although it doesn't look much like our showground.
"Mr Plowman has not consulted us. I have been invited to his preview and I will see this painting properly before I say any more."
Plowman, 71, won his first royal order from Prince Philip 15 years ago. His picture "The Crossing of Morecambe Bay" showed the prince competing in a carriage
driving contest.
Later he sold former Olympic horsewoman Princess Anne a painting of herself in the Farriers' Invitation Race at Epsom.
Plowman, who trained at the Central School of Art, London, and the Grand Chaumiere, Paris, believes he was a witness to Hewitt and Princess Diana's affair during
the 1980s.
From his home at Lympstone, Devon, he said he could see her helicopter landing at nearby stables run by Hewitt's mother Shirley.
Three years ago he produced a portrait of Lympstone featuring 90 local characters.
Hewitt and Diana were seen peering from the window of a cottage owned by Hewitt's sister, Caroline Bailey.