‘Twinkle in Queen’s eye’ captured in rediscovered portrait to mark Jubilee
A new portrait of the Queen which captures the monarch off-guard and smiling with a “quizzical expression” has been unveiled to mark her Platinum Jubilee.
The relaxed test shot by Rob Munday was taken in 2004 during a photographic session to create the first officially commissioned 3D hologram of the Queen.
The composition sees the Queen reacting to an unscripted and amusing comment made by her close confidante and senior dresser Angela Kelly, as Ms Kelly rearranged her clothing prior to the holographic shoot at Buckingham Palace.
Munday said: “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.
The portrait was described as capturing “the twinkle in the Queen’s eye” and an “almost quizzical expression” demonstrating “the deep bond and trust” between the monarch and Ms Kelly, with the piece dedicated to their 20 years of friendship.
The original holographic portrait of the Queen, titled Equanimity, by artist Chris Levine and holographer Munday, was previously voted visitors’ favourite portrait at the National Portrait Gallery in London.
It was commissioned by the Jersey Heritage Trust to celebrate 800 years of the island’s loyalty to the Crown.
In 2012, it appeared on a Jersey £100 banknote and featured on the front cover of Time Magazine’s Diamond Jubilee issue.
In it, the Queen wears a white ermine cape, a string of pearls and the famous Diamond Diadem.
Ms Kelly, who is also the Queen’s personal adviser, has, with the monarch’s agreement, written a book about her service.
She shared details of how the Queen shut herself in her sitting room and spent time “alone with her own thoughts” after the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral.
She also revealed how she became the Queen’s hairdresser while in lockdown as part of HMS Bubble, the nickname given to the reduced household of dedicated royal staff.
The image was unveiled at the Dorchester Collection’s 45 Park Lane in London at the launch of Munday’s new exhibition of light sculptures, Presence.