New Photographic Portrait of Her Majesty The Queen on the Occasion of the 150th Anniversary of Confederation

OTTAWA, June 30, 2017 /CNW/ - His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, is pleased to announce that Buckingham Palace has released a new photographic portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of the 150^th anniversary of Confederation and the Royal Tour to Canada by Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall. His Royal Highness is officially representing Her Majesty The Queen for these celebrations.

In the portrait by Canadian photographer Ian Leslie Macdonald, Her Majesty is pictured wearing the Canadian maple leaf brooch she inherited from her mother in 2002. The brooch, which is made of platinum and set with diamonds, was given to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother by her husband, King George VI, and was worn for the first time during the Royal couple's visit to Canada in 1939. Over the years, the brooch was loaned to Princess Elizabeth (1951), The Duchess of Cornwall (2009) and The Duchess of Cambridge (2011) during their first visits to Canada.

 "Her Majesty has served Canada with steadfast devotion and remarkable skill for 65 years," the Governor General said. "The release of this photographic portrait of The Queen wearing the maple leaf brooch is a fitting image of her love for this country and its people on the 150^th anniversary of Confederation."

About Canadian Photographer Ian Leslie Macdonald
The portrait of Her Majesty was taken by Toronto-based photographer Ian Leslie Macdonald. As the regimental photographer to the 48^th Highlanders of Canada, Mr. Macdonald was also selected this year to take the official portrait of Her Majesty to commemorate The Queen's platinum anniversary as colonel-in-chief of the regiment. In addition, he took new official portraits for the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada and the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery. In 2012, Mr. Macdonald received the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal for his service to Canada and the Crown.

To download the high-resolution photo of Her Majesty The Queen, please click here.

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SOURCE Governor General of Canada

Marie-Ève Létourneau, Rideau Hall Press Office, 613-998-0287, 613-302-0912 (cell), [email protected]