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Paul Madden

British Ambassador to Japan

Part of UK in Australia

28th September 2012

A new portrait of Her Majesty

Australian painter Ralph Heimans has just produced a wonderful new portrait of Her Majesty, depicting the Queen standing in the spot in Westminster Abbey where she was crowned.

I was delighted to attend the launch of this spectacular painting at the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra, by Her Majesty’s representative in Australia, Governor General HE Quentin Bryce. Apparently the only official portrait of the Queen produce this year, it is called The Coronation Theatre, Westminster Abbey: Portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, 2012.

HE Quentin Bryce, Governor General congratulates artist Ralph Heimans in front of his new painting of the Queen

The Governor General spoke very movingly of her affection for Her Majesty, and described with obvious pleasure her experiences of attending a number of Jubilee events in London earlier this year, including most memorably the joyous service in Westminster Abbey.

I congratulated Ralph Heimans on his painting, admiring his use of light to show both the sumptuous colours of the Abbey choir stalls backdrop, and the solitary figure of the Queen highlighted in the foreground. He told me what a pleasure it had been to meet Her Majesty during the sitting earlier this year.

About Paul Madden

Paul Madden has been the British Ambassador to Japan from January 2017. He was Additional Director for Asia Pacific at the FCO in 2015.He was British High Commissioner to Australia…

Paul Madden has been the British Ambassador to Japan from January 2017.

He was Additional Director for Asia Pacific at the FCO in 2015.He was British High Commissioner to Australia until February 2015. Prior to this he was British High Commissioner in Singapore from 2007-2011.

A career diplomat, he was previously Managing Director at UK Trade and Investment (2004-2006), responsible for co-ordinating and
implementing international trade development strategies to support
companies across a wide range of business sectors.

As Assistant Director of Information at the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office (2003-2004) he was responsible for public diplomacy policy,
including managing the FCO funding of the BBC World Service, the British
Council and the Chevening Scholarships programme. He led the team
responsible for the award-winning UK pavilion at the Aichi Expo in Japan
2005.

He was Deputy High Commissioner in Singapore from 2000-2003 and has
also served in Washington (1996-2000) and Tokyo (1988-92). Between
1992-96 he worked on EU enlargement and Environmental issues at the FCO
in London.

Before joining FCO he worked at the Department of Trade and Industry
(1980-87) on a range of industrial sectors and trade policy, including
two years as a minister’s Private Secretary.

He has an MA in Economic Geography from Cambridge University, an MBA
from Durham University, studied Japanese at London University’s School
of Oriental and African Studies, and is a Fellow of the Royal
Geographical Society. His first book, Raffles: Lessons in Business
Leadership, was published in 2003.

Married to Sarah, with three children, he was born in 1959, in Devon.

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canberra diamond jubilee Governor General portrait queen elizabeth Quentin Bryce Ralph Heimans