Photograph of HM Queen Elizabeth II (b.1926) standing in her admiral's cloak, head tilted to the left.

Beaton took this stark, simple and direct image of HM The Queen for use in his first major retrospective at the National Portrait Gallery in London. He hoped that the final section of the exhibition would be the highlight and therefore wanted to ‘try something different’ when photographing HM The Queen. She is shown here in a simple dark cloak against a plain background. There are no familiar regal trappings such as tiaras, jewels or lavish interiors. Despite this simple approach, HM The Queen remains instantly recognisable.