In 2023, The Duke of Kent unveiled a portrait of extraordinary historical significance: the final painting of the late Queen Elizabeth II. The work, created by portrait artist Basia Hamilton, originated from an exclusive sitting granted by Elizabeth II.
On 6th May 2022, Hamilton was received at Windsor Castle, where she sketched and studied the Queen in preparation for the commemorative work. The sitting coincided with the year of Her late Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee.
The portrait sees Her late Majesty wearing a pink dress, paired with a pearl dress and Queen Victoria’s 11 Pearl Brooch.
Completed later in 2022, the portrait was presented to the Queen in September, just weeks before her death.
Hamilton is no stranger to royal sitters. She previously painted the Queen Mother in 2001 at Clarence House and The Duke of Kent, and her wider portfolio includes world-renowned figures such as former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Her latest royal portrait thus continues a lineage of works that capture not only likeness but legacy.
The unveiling by The Duke of Kent took place at the Polish Institute and Museum in London on 11th September 2023.
