Pembrokeshire is well known for its artists — and now the National Portrait Gallery is linked to the county by the first double portrait of Prince William and Prince Harry.

The new portrait, unveiled at the gallery in London last week, is the work of artist Nicky Philipps, whose ancestral home is Picton Castle, near Haverfordwest.

Her father, Jeremy Philipps, ran Picton Castle as a charitable trust before his death in 2006.

Nicky was commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery to paint the princes, who are pictured in conversation at Clarence House.

She chose to capture an informal moment, calling it “a behind-the-scenes glance at the human element of royal responsibility and to emphasise their brotherly relationship”.

An exhibition of Nicky’s work is planned at Picton Castle in May, alongside works by her artist mother Susan Philipps and sister Clare Lumsden.

The artist, who regularly visits the area, has fond memories of holidays at her grandparents’ 13th century home, which once housed work by Graham Sutherland, a family friend.

Nicky spent more than six months painting the royal brothers during five sittings when Prince William was an Army officer and Prince Harry was training to became an Army helicopter pilot. Prince William is now training to become an RAF rescue pilot.

Nicky said: “It was a great privilege to be asked to paint the princes for the National Portrait Gallery.

“They were very good company and although I was commissioned to paint them in their official context, I hope I have also captured some of the brotherly banter that characterised the sittings.”