Buckingham Palace reveals unseen portrait of Queen Elizabeth II
By Brooklyn Neustaeter
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LONDON (CTV Network) — A previously unseen portrait of Queen Elizabeth II has been released by Buckingham Palace ahead of her state funeral.
The photograph, which was released on the Royal Family’s official social media accounts on Sunday evening, was taken in May at Windsor Castle prior to the start of national celebrations for the Platinum Jubilee.
“The photo was taken to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee — the first British Monarch to reach this milestone,” the Royal Family said in a statement accompanying the portrait.
The photo shows the Queen in a dove-blue dress, wearing a three-strand pearl necklace and pearl diamond earrings, with a beaming smile on her face.
Her dress is seen adorned with an aquamarine diamond clip brooch that was a birthday present from her father, King George VI, gifted to her when she turned 18 in 1944.
The photo was taken by Ranald Mackechnie, who also took the portrait of the Queen released at the start of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations marking her milestone 70-year reign.
The state funeral of Britain’s longest-reigning monarch is taking place Monday at Westminster Abbey in London following 10 days of national mourning.
The Queen, who died Sept. 8 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland at age 96, will be laid to rest at a private family ceremony Monday evening at Windsor Castle after the state funeral.
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Sonja Puzic
