New Statue of Queen Elizabeth Has Admirers Up in Arms

Some viewers feel the statue is a poor likeness of the queen, while others think it captures her essence.

By Michael Hein

A new statue of Queen Elizabeth II was unveiled at Antrim Castle in Ireland last month, but the response from viewers has been mixed so far. According to a report by the BBC, the queen was cast in bronze by artist Anto Brennan of north Belfast, and the sculpture was installed in the Antrim Castle Gardens on Friday, Sept. 6. Sadly, viewers and social media commenters alike feel it is an imperfect likeness of the monarch.

The new statue shows Queen Elizabeth wearing a headscarf and a plaid outfit, standing with her gaze raised and her hands clasped over her waist. She bears a contemplative expression. The statue also includes her late husand Prince Philip standing just behind her, and two of their beloved pet corgis standing on the ground between them. Critics have not been shy about questioning the accuracy of the statue, with local town councillor Vera McWilliams telling the BBC: "We have to be honest, it does not resemble the queen in any shape or form."

The Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council voted to commission this statue in January of 2023. Originally, it would have shown the queen with two corgis, since there is already a statue of Prince Philip elsewhere on the castle grounds. When the first photo of the statue was published on the borough's social media page, comments were reportedly quite negative, with some even calling for the statue's removal. Ultimately, comments were disabled for that post.

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Many local officials have been diplomatic in defending the statue. Local deputy mayor Paul Dunlop told the BBC: "It's down to personal taste, everyone has their own opinion but it is what the sculpture represents that is important," while Mayor Neil Kelly called it a "beautiful statue." The council issued a collective statement saying they are "delighted with the generally positive response" to the new piece, adding: "art can sometimes spark diverse opinions, but it's important to emphasise that the sculpture has been warmly received by most who have seen it in person."

That did seem to be reflected in the comments from visitors who spoke to the BBC at Antrim while they were there. Many said that they thought it was stylized, and was not made to be photorealistic on purpose. However, one person told the outlet: "I would take it away. It doesn't do anything in memory for Her Majesty, so definitely I would remove it." So far, Brennan himself has not responded to the BBC's request for comment.

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