Queen Elizabeth II: Portraits through the years

The Queen was portrayed in so many ways throughout her 70-year reign.

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Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin leaves Balmoral today on its journey through Scotland before her state funeral in London on September 19.

Throughout her long reign, she was depicted in a number of ways in portraiture.

Here are some of the more striking images.

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1953

A portrait of young Elizabeth II, wearing a crown, painted the month of her coronation.

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1953

A coronation portrait of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II by legendary photographer Cecil Beaton.

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1968

A portrait of the Queen, by Timothy Whidborne (right), at Wellington Barracks, London. The artist is seen with Earl Alexander. The portrait shows the Queen wearing the uniform of Colonel-in-Chief Irish Guard, mounted on the Metropolitan Police horse named Doctor.

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1972

American artist Joseph Wallace King alongside his portrait of Queen Elizabeth II at the Mall Galleries in London. The portrait was commissioned by the Wellcome Foundation for presentation to the state of North Carolina.

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1996

Portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Antony Williams.

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1998

A portrait of HM The Queen by Robbie Wraith is unveiled at a private view of the Royal Society of Portrait Painter’s Exhibition in London

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1999

The Queen receives a painting of her visit with the Duke of Edinburgh to St Andrews Gardens Estate in Liverpool, presented by Brenda Prendergast and her husband Charles after she visited their home.

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1999

Artist Andrew Festing (right) and Conservative peer Lord Archer admire Festing’s portrait of the Queen during a preview of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters 1999 exhibition in London.

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2000

The Queen at Drapers’ Hall in London, where she unveiled her portrait commissioned by the Worshipful Company of Drapers.

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2002

Queen Elizabeth II unveils a portrait of herself by artist Theodore Ramos at the Guildhall in Windsor to mark her Golden Jubilee.

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2002

Nigerian artist Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy’s portrait, which was also commissioned to mark the golden jubilee.

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2004

The Equanimity holographic portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Chris Levine.

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2010

Queen Elizabeth standing before a specially commissioned portrait of herself during her tour of Cunard's cruise ship the Queen Elizabeth in Southampton.

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2012

Visitors look at a painting of Elizabeth during a photocall for the Royal Society of Portrait Painters exhibition at the Mall Galleries on 2 May in London

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2012

A woman photographs a painting by artist Justin Mortimer entitled The Queen in the National Portrait Gallery’s exhibition The Queen: Art & Image.

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2012

Exhibition curator Lauren Porter (left), Allan Chinn, Martin Clayton (second right) and Kate Stone (right) pose with Andy Warhol’s Reigning Queens: Queen Elizabeth II portraits on the staircase leading to the Viewings Gallery at Windsor Castle.

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2012

Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper stands with Queen Elizabeth as she unveils a portrait of herself in the White Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace.

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2013

Artist Ralph Heimans stands beside his painting inside the Chapter House at Westminster Abbey.

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2014

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, inspects a portrait painted by New Zealand artist Nick Cuthell and unveiled during a state reception at Government House in Wellington.

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2017

The Queen views a new portrait painted by BP Portrait Award 2017 winner Benjamin Sullivan, commissioned to celebrate 100 years of the RAF Club.

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2018

The Queen views her new portrait commissioned by the RAF Regiment to celebrate its 75th anniversary, in the White Drawing Room at Windsor Castle.

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2021

A full-length portrait of Queen Elizabeth II wearing a spray of five poppies painted by artist Darren Baker, to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Royal British Legion, on display at Clarence House in London.