Ranald Mackechnie/Courtesy of Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace has unveiled a final photograph of Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away on September 8 at the age of 96. The world is preparing to say goodbye to the late monarch at her burial tomorrow.
A brand-new and last-ever portrait of Queen Elizabeth II was unveiled on Sunday by Buckingham Palace. Ranald Mackechnie took the picture of the late monarch, who is wearing a powder blue suit and beaming broadly. Her trademark three-strand pearl necklace and coordinating earrings are on display. Her father, King George VI, gave her an aquamarine brooch for her 18th birthday, and it is pinned to her chest.
“Ahead of Her Majesty The Queen’s State Funeral, a new photograph has been released,” the royal family wrote on Twitter. “The photo was taken to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee – the first British Monarch to reach this milestone.”
The heartfelt photograph was made public hours after the UK observed a minute of silence for the late monarch at 8 o’clock on the night before the funeral.
Queen Elizabeth’s funeral will be held at Westminster Abbey on Monday. The entire Windsor family will be present, along with many other foreign leaders, including US President Joe Biden. In the meantime, tens of thousands of spectators have been pouring into Westminster Hall, where the Queen’s coffin has been lying in state ever since it arrived in London on Thursday. Despite being informed that the wait time might go above 24 hours, this nevertheless happened.
Today, a word of gratitude was issued by King Charles III to everyone who had come to pay their respects. “As we all prepare to say our last farewell, I wanted simply to take this opportunity to say thank you to all those countless people who have been such a support and comfort to my family and myself in this time of grief,” he said. Prince William also shared a photo of the crowds in Westminster. “It means an awful lot that you’re all here,” he said.
Mackechnie had also previously taken the late monarch’s official portrait in honor of her historic Platinum Jubilee. Queen Elizabeth then posed in a dove-blue dress and coat with pearl and diamond trimming. Longtime confidante and style adviser to the Queen, Angela Kelly, created the look.
The queen at the time issued a statement along with the publication of the picture. “Thank you to everyone who has been involved in convening communities, families, neighbours and friends to mark my Platinum Jubilee, in the United Kingdom and across the Commonwealth,” she said. “I know that many happy memories will be created at these festive occasions. I continue to be inspired by the goodwill shown to me, and hope that the coming days will provide an opportunity to reflect on all that has been achieved during the last seventy years, as we look to the future with confidence and enthusiasm.”
