Historical portrait for a historical occasion: Queen Elizabeth II. released a specially commissioned portrait on Wednesday to mark her four-day platinum jubilee celebrating an unprecedented 70 years on the throne.
The photo shows her posing among the reminders of her royal predecessors at Windsor Castle, a 952-year-old fort where she now lives full time.
The photo, taken on May 25 by photographer Ranald Mackechnie, shows the Queen in front of a window in the Victoria Lobby, which is part of the castle’s private apartments and is named after the Queen’s great-grandmother, Queen Victoria.
In the background is the iconic round tower of the castle, which now houses the Royal Archive and historical photographs in the Royal Collection, and the statue of King Charles II, which stands in the castle quadrangle.
The 90-year-old queen also delivered a message ahead of the jubilee celebrations, which begin on Thursday. The report is part of the official Platinum Jubilee program:
“Thank you to everyone involved in convening communities, families, neighbors and friends on the occasion of my Platinum Jubilee in the UK and the Commonwealth,” the Buckingham Palace said in a report.
“I know there will be many happy memories on these occasions. I continue to be inspired by goodwill and hope that the coming days will provide an opportunity to reflect on everything that has been achieved over the last seventy years.” because we look to the future with confidence and enthusiasm. “
It was signed by ELIZABETH R.
The palace’s announcement stated that the queen was wearing a coat and dress in a dark dove’s blue Charmelaine wool fabric adorned with pearls and diamonds around the neckline and cascading down the front of the coat. The outfit was created by her long-time designer, scarf and close assistant Angela Kelly.
In his statement, Machechnie said, “I am honored to be asked and privileged to accept,” an order to create an official platinum jubilee portrait.
Mackechnie took two previous portraits of the queen, both alongside her direct heirs: her son, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales; his eldest son, Prince William, and his eldest child, Prince George. The first portrait celebrated the Queen’s 90th birthday in 2016. The second, released in 2020, marked the beginning of a new decade.
The photograph is the latest queen published during this 70th year of her reign, the longest of all monarchs in English or British history. In February, on the occasion of the day she became queen in 1952 after the death of her father, King George VI, the palace published a new photograph on the day of accession.
Widely smiling and dressed in a light green dress, she is pictured at the Saloring in Sandringham, her Norfolk headquarters, sitting with one of her red mailboxes full of government papers and a picture of her father by her side. The photograph seemed to be designed to express her pleasure in reaching this milestone and her firm promise to keep it in her work.
Although she was locked up in the castle during the COVID-19 pandemic and her mobility and virus problems have kept her from public appearances in the last year, the palace has arranged for her to be photographed at home by an official who works on state newspapers or is shown historical history. artifacts compiled as part of the jubilee celebrations.
Windsor Castle, founded by William the Conqueror in 1070, is located about 35 miles west of London. According to a brief history provided by the palace, it was originally surrounded by a beam. At the end of the 12th century, Henry II. replace the outer fortifications with stone; the original Norman castle was rebuilt into a round tower in 1170.
In the 14th century, Edward III transformed Windsor Castle from a military fortification into a Gothic palace. The transformation continued under subsequent monarchs, especially King George IV, who ascended the throne in 1820. He and his artistic adviser, Sir Charles Long, wanted the exterior of Windsor to have a more imposing castle-like appearance, which ultimately doubled the height of the round tower. massive masonry and the addition of towers and battlements.
Statue of King Charles II. is the work of the carver and sculptor Grinling Gibbons, appointed in 1682 as an inspector and repairman of carvings in Windsor. It is one of three Gibbon statues of the third King of the Stuart dynasty, who died in 1685.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Queen Elizabeth poses for a new image on the occasion of the opening of the Platinum Jubilee
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