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.
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.