Queen Elizabeth II Royal Edition (F. & S. II.334-337A) (complete set)
Queen Elizabeth II Royal Edition (F. & S. II.334-337A) (complete set)
Signed Print
Andy Warhol
100 x 80cm, Edition of 30, Screenprint, 1985
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Meaning & Analysis
Andy Warhol's Queen Elizabeth II Royal Edition (F. & S. II.334–337A) from 1985 is a complete set of four signed screenprints from his Reigning Queens series, produced in an edition of 30. Based on an official photograph of Queen Elizabeth II, each portrait presents the monarch in a different combination of vibrant colours, transforming a traditional royal image through Warhol's distinctive Pop Art aesthetic. The addition of diamond dust gives the Royal Edition a shimmering surface, emphasising the grandeur and spectacle associated with monarchy.
Created in 1985, Queen Elizabeth II Royal Edition (F. & S. II.334–337A) comprises four screenprints depicting the British monarch, forming part of Andy Warhol's wider Reigning Queens series. The portfolio features four female sovereigns who ruled in their own right, reflecting Warhol's longstanding fascination with fame, power and public image.
The portraits are based on a photograph taken by Peter Grugeon at Windsor Castle in 1975, subsequently released to mark the Queen's Silver Jubilee in 1977. Warhol reinterprets this official image through four distinct colourways, combining saturated pinks, blues, yellows and greens with bold graphic outlines. Across the set, the Queen's expression and pose remain unchanged, while shifts in colour dramatically alter the visual character of each portrait.
Unlike the standard edition of 40, the Royal Edition of 30 incorporates diamond dust, a finely ground glass material that creates a reflective finish. This decorative treatment reinforces the association between royalty, luxury and spectacle. Through repetition and colour variation, Warhol places Elizabeth II alongside the celebrity figures that defined his artistic practice, examining how familiar images acquire cultural significance through their circulation and reproduction.
