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North East gallery Cheeky Highlander exhibiting controversial Princess Diana portrait this Sunday


By Alistair Whitfield

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An infamous portrait of Princess Diana is set to go on public display for the first time in decades at a gallery near Inverness this Sunday.

A trailer which shows a deliberately blurred image of the portrait has been released ahead of Sunday's exhibition.
A trailer which shows a deliberately blurred image of the portrait has been released ahead of Sunday's exhibition.

The work, which depicted the princess as Da Vinci's Lady with an Ermine, caused such controversy back in the 1980s that its detractors tried to crowdfund £50,000 in order to buy it and then have it destroyed.

Its creator was local artist William John MacKenzie, who was known as Bill.

Two years after his death in 2016 at the age of 76, an exhibition of his work went on display at Eden Court. However the Princess Diana painting was not included.

Speaking at the time, his widow Joan said: "It was not meant to take away from the regal and royal side of Princess Diana.

"It was a facial expression of Diana that my husband found intriguing and wanted to create his own image of her."

The Cheeky Highlander is hosting a private exhibition of his work, titled Dead Man Talking, this Sunday.

Places are limited at the gallery in Bunchrew. However details on how to reserve one can be found HERE


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