MUNDY Bill 1936-2025

Painter of portrait miniatures capturing an incredible likeness of his 'sitters'. His sitters ranged from Spike Milligan to King Charles III. Born William Percy Mundy in Wokingham, Berkshire, his only art 'tuition' was a three-year apprenticeship designing biscuit tins for Huntley & Palmer. Apart from that, he was entirely self-taught. He spent most of his National Service in the Far East and fell in love with Singapore, where he found employment with a local advertising agency in that city. He spent the next 20 years living and working in the area. He travelled and worked, undertaking commissions in Hong Kong and Bangkok.

His 'fame' spread, and he became the unofficial court painter to the Johor Royal family of Malaysia. It is believed that throughout his career, Mundy completed about 800 miniatures and many larger full-scale paintings. Many of his works were watercolours on vellum, and some were on 3-inch square. As an exhibitor, he found time to send to the Royal Academy Summer Exhibitions and was an exhibiting member of the Hilliard Society and the Royal Society of Miniature Painters, Sculptors and Gravers.

His 1987 portrait of Sir David Money-Coutts was acquired by the Victoria & Albert Museum, making Mundy the only living miniaturist to be represented there. Mundy’s later commissions included a miniature equestrian portrait for Queen Elizabeth II and three portraits of Prince Philip. In 2025, his larger-than-life portrait of King Charles III on his coronation day was received by Queen Camilla to be hung in Clarence House.