A previously unseen portrait of the Queen has been unveiled in celebration of the Royal’s Platinum Jubilee, showing Her Majesty in mirthful spirits with “a twinkle in her eye”.
The portrait titled Platinum Queen: Felicity was taken during a photoshoot in 2004 by photographer Rob Munday, from which he invented the first 3D portrait of the Queen.
Munday told Wales Online it was a rare moment of leisure for Her Majesty.
“The Queen’s daily life is so full of responsibility and duty that it was wonderful to see this fleeting moment of relaxation and pleasure,” he said.
“There was just this one frame in the middle, almost like a God-given frame, it just jumped off the monitor. There’s a twinkle in the eye.
“It is an uplifting portrait, so different from many of the more sombre portraits commissioned in recent years and a befitting celebration for her Platinum Jubilee.”
The photographer said the portrait was a test shot, overlooked in his collection for almost two decades.
Munday told Hello the shot was an intimate moment between the Queen and her aide Angela Kelly.
“The atmosphere was incredibly jovial. Angela Kelly is a very funny woman, very down-to-earth. And really, really nice, she put us all incredibly at ease. She would tell jokes, and she’d obviously said something funny to the Queen. And she sort of laughed at that exact moment I pushed the button to do a test shot,” he said.
“Obviously the Queen is very, very comfortable with Angela Kelly, they have this incredible bond, and you can see it.”
Munday’s freshly unveiled image comes as a month-long exhibition in London is showcasing portraits of British Queens to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee.
Sotheby’s auction house released a statement saying the exhibit will be accompanied by events and auctions to celebrate the “joyous national milestone” and will feature seven royal matriarchs ranging from the Tudor era to the present day.
Sotheby’s Deputy Chairman, Frances Christie said: “Britain has long been known for its creativity and The Queen has been at the helm of this throughout her reign – both as custodian of a world-class collection, and the inspiration for artists, designers and more.”
Queen Elizabeth II is the first British monarch to reach 70 years of service.