‘This is the third time I’ve had the pleasure of photographing Her Majesty, and I always find these events very exciting’

To celebrate The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012, John Swannell was commissioned to taken an official of Her Majesty. The photograph was taken in the Centre Room at Buckingham Palace, a site closely associated with royal celebrations as it leads out onto the famous balcony. Through the window the Queen Victoria Memorial is visible, forming a visual link between Queen Elizabeth II and her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria, the only British monarch to have celebrated the milestone of 60 years on the throne. The connection between the two is strengthened further as The Queen wears the Coronation Necklace and earrings, which Queen Victoria had also worn in the photograph used for her Diamond Jubilee in 1897 (below).

Swannell’s official photograph of Her Majesty was released on Accession Day 2012 (6 February). This photograph, along with a portrait of The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh, is free to download from the Monarchy website: www.royal.gov.uk.