Researchers at the University of Dundee have reconstructed Bonnie Prince Charlie's visage as it appeared during the abortive Jacobite revolt he led in the 18th century in an effort to retake the British crown for his father.

In contrast to the more typically heroic figure he has typically been portrayed as, Bonnie Prince Charlie appears in the picture with wide eyes, blonde wavy hair, and acne on his skin.

"I wanted to portray him as a normal, regular person because he was 24 years old and he was a person who had hobbies and liked to do different things," Barbora Veselá, a master's student in forensic art and face imaging at the University of Dundee, said to CNN.

"Even though he was definitely royalty, I didn't want him to act like it. With that, I did want to present a different perspective.

Death masks of the prince that were photographed and mapped were used to make the image. According to the university in a press release, famous people at the period frequently had a cast made of their face after passing away.

The institution stated that after creating 3D models of the prince using cutting-edge technologies, researchers were able to "de-age" him.

According to Tobias Houlton, a lecturer in forensic art and face imaging, Veselá's supervisor, "the final piece is almost like a handcrafted-looking model."

Charles Edward Stuart, as he was formally known, launched a failed Jacobite uprising in 1745 while he was 24 years old and attempting to recapture the British crown for his exiled Catholic grandfather, King James II.

The prince launched an invasion with a small army of about a dozen soldiers a year later after his first assault, which was supported by a French fleet, was defeated by storms in 1744. With his charisma and charm, he incited a rebellion in Scotland, marched as far south as Derby, and gained the moniker "Bonnie Prince Charlie."

However, the insurrection finally failed, and it took him months to make his way back to Europe. He merely left behind the now idealized memory of his rebellion.

The remainder of his life was spent on the continent, and he passed away in Rome, Italy, in 1788 at the age of 67.

"I've been interested in the Jacobites for a while now, and it just kind of evolved," Vesela said. I was inspired to make a slightly different version after seeing Hew Morrison's reconstruction of him in 2019. Morrison also used the death mask to build a depiction of him soon before he passed away.

Veselá had to de-age the 24-year-old prince she portrayed by using the understanding she gained from research about aging trends in humans to make him appear younger and by looking at the narratives and artworks from the time that depicted the prince.

After death, the face changes, Houlton continues. It involves not only turning back time, but also undoing the ravages of death.