Biography
Louise Pragnell’s portraits are renowned for the sensitivity with which they capture the essence of her subjects. Her commissions range from personal and family portraits, to notable public figures and large-scale ceremonial and military group portraits. Using classical techniques in oil, with a modern sensibility, her work seeks to convey both strength and subtlety of presence, integrating historical artistry with contemporary relevance.
Louise’s portrait of Pops Mensah-Bonsu, the former NBA basketball player and philanthropist, is currently on display in the National Portrait Gallery. This marks the third occasion that Louise has been selected for their Portrait Award exhibition. The painting has garnered wide interest, helping raise awareness of Pops’ charitable work which supports and transforms young peoples’ lives in Ghana. Louise brought this story into the painting through depicting the symbol of the Sankofa bird on his shirt.
Louise has twice had the honour to be commissioned to paint Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal. In May 2026 Her Royal Highness unveiled Louise’s portrait of Her as Colonel-in-Chief of the British Army’s Intelligence Corps, at the Worshipful Company of the Painters-Stainers. Live sittings for the portrait took place at St James’ Palace. In 2024 the Worshipful Company of Saddlers commissioned Louise to paint a 2.5 metre painting of Her Royal Highness, which was unveiled by HRH in January 2025 at the Company’s Livery Hall in London, where the sittings had taken place.
In October 2025, Louise’s official coronation portraits of Their Royal Highnesses Grand Duke Guillaume and Grand Duchess Stéphanie of Luxembourg were unveiled at the Grand Ducal Palace marking their accession to the throne. Other recent portraits of public figures include Jeremy Clarkson, William Hague and Formula 1 legend Sir Jackie Stewart.
For two decades Louise has been painting portraits from live sittings in oil on canvas. Her paintings are displayed across institutional and private collections in the UK and abroad. ‘The Evil Murdering Misguided Queen Cassandra’ selected as a finalist for the National Portrait Gallery’s BP Award, was acquired by the Groucho Club, where it is displayed amongst their famed collection of British contemporary Art.
Among her military commissions, Louise has painted HRH the Duke of Kent, General Sir Nicholas Houghton, General Sir Peter Wall, and General Sir Jim Hockenhull. Her three-metre painting of 32 Irish Guards Officers was presented to Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales in 2023. Her group portrait of 25 Household Cavalry officers, unveiled by HRH the Princess Royal, hangs in the Knightsbridge Barracks.
Louise regularly visits schools to mentor and talk to art students. She also speaks on panel discussions, podcasts and has been invited as a judge to select a winner for the Women of the Future Awards 2026 in the Arts and Culture category.
Louise studied MA Fine Art at Edinburgh University and Edinburgh College of Art, graduating with Distinction in Painting, and the Andrew Grant Bequest scholarship. She then completed further training in classical oil painting techniques in Florence, Italy at the Florence Academy of Art and the Rebecca Harp Atelier.