Lady Sarah Chatto's son Samuel makes rare public appearance amid engagement reports

Samuel Chatto, the grandson of the late Princess Margaret, made a rare public appearance at a special event hosted by an Oslo-based art gallery.

The 28-year-old, who is a History of Art graduate and an accomplished ceramicist, recently made headlines when he joined the royal family for Christmas in Sandringham with his girlfriend, Eleanor Ekserdjian, in tow.

Over the weekend, Lady Sarah Chatto's son joined RAM Gallery's director, Joakim de Borda, for an informal conversation about the exhibited works, showcasing his creative expertise and passion for the arts.

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In a video, released on social media, Samuel was seen discussing the intricate pieces on display.

His outing comes amid growing buzz about his relationship with Eleanor, a Fine Art graduate whom he met during his time at the University of Edinburgh.

While Sam is fairly private about his personal life, to have his partner accompanying him on Christmas Day was a big step and has sent engagement rumours into overdrive.

Traditionally, married partners of royals join the family for their annual Christmas Day walkabout. Prince Harry defied convention in 2017 when he was joined by his then-fiancée Meghan Markle prior to their 2018 nuptials.

Who is Samuel Chatto's girlfriend Eleanor?

Eleanor describes herself as an "abstract painter and film artist". A description on her website reads: "Ekserdjian's practice involves projecting the moving image onto paper or canvas and drawing from and over it, her physical and emotional responses being made visible through rapid mark-making.

"These paintings and drawings become lyrical landscapes which explore her evolving emotional response to the film."

She attended the University of Edinburgh where she graduated in Fine Art and subsequently attended the Royal Drawing School.

Eleanor undertook a six-week residency in Armenia and has since showcased her work in numerous galleries including London's Redfern Gallery, Gallery 286 and Seen Fifteen Gallery.

Her father, Professor David Ekserdjian, is a renowned art historian who currently serves as Professor of History of Art and Film at the University of Leicester. Eleanor's mother, Susan Moore, is also in the art world and works as an art critic at the Financial Times.

Samuel's passion for art

In a similar vein to his artistically inclined girlfriend, Sam graduated from the University of Edinburgh where he studied the History of Art, he joined the Royal Drawing School and later set up his own ceramics studio in East Sussex.

In 2023, he was accepted onto an apprenticeship with Japanese artist, Yagi Akira, in Kyoto, Japan.

Speaking to the Daily Mail in 2019 about his passion, Sam explained: "I've always had a strong affinity with creating objects, having spent much of my childhood crafting imagined landscapes and sculptural models, which naturally led me to clay during my later years at school."