LONDON.- Among the 28 students exhibiting their work was Harry Parker, 32, a former army captain who lost both his legs after stepping on an IED while serving with in Afghanistan in 2009.

Harry heard about the Royal Drawing School's scholarship programme from The Duchess of Cornwall when he gave her a drawing at a medals parade for his regiment, 4 Rifles, of which The Duchess is Royal Colonel.

Harry, who lives in Battersea and works as a painter and writer, said: "I've always done art but it's difficult to keep it up with bullets flying around. Art isn't therapy, it's hard work and you're doing it on your own. The good thing about the Royal Drawing School course is it's for people from all different backgrounds who all bring different things. We're all in it together."

His views were echoed by another former serviceman, Douglas Farthing, 48, who joined the course after thirty years serving as a Sergeant Major in the Parachute Regiment from 1984 to 2004.

The married father of two said: "The army is about your regiment and country. This course is finding out who you are and explaining it through drawing.

"I first met The Prince of Wales when he visited our Batallion in Iraq in 2003. Tonight we had a chat about John Sell Cotman, an artist we both admire and even with everything going on, he spent time with everyone and showed a genuine interest."

The Prince also met with artist Christabel Forbes, who was so determined to get on the course she hitchhiked from Falmouth to London to attend the open day when the Dawlish Railway had collapsed into the sea in February 2014.

The Prince of Wales founded the Royal Drawing School (previously The Prince's Drawing School) along with artist Catherine Goodman in 2000. It has grown from teaching 40 students in a small attic in East London, to teaching drawing to over 1000 students each week in five studio campuses across London. Last year the School was granted the Royal title with HM the Queen’s consent.

The Drawing Year is the Royal Drawing School’s postgraduate programme, offering each of the 28 students a full scholarship to spend a year on an intensive MA-level course, taught by a faculty of over 55 practising artists. The school also offers a programme of daytime and evening courses, with heavily subsidised fees and concessions to make them widely accessible.

The Best of the Drawing Year has become an annual fixture for collectors keen to spot burgeoning talent and will run for five days, Friday 20 - Tuesday 24 November 2015 at Christie’s, displaying drawings by 28 students, all of which are for sale. The exhibition then moves to the Royal Drawing School’s gallery in Shoreditch where the end of year postgraduate exhibition will include over 300 drawings.

The School has a long heritage of esteemed artists and creatives supporting its work including David Hockney, Tracey Emin, Grayson Perry, David Shrigley, Sir Peter Blake, Cornelia Parker and Sir Quentin Blake.