Queen Elizabeth II 335 by Andy Warhol presents a vivid silkscreen portrait of the Queen set against a background of royal purple, with blocks of orange, and cream. Her tiara glows with bright highlights, her green dress pops against the deep background. Additionally, Warhol outlines her features with neon accents that heighten the sense of glamour and immediacy. The result is a striking, modern reinterpretation of a traditional royal portrait.
Origins of the Reigning Queens Series
Queen Elizabeth II 335 is one of sixteen prints in Warhol’s Reigning Queens series. Warhol debuted the portfolio in 1985, only two years before his death. It centered on four contemporary monarchs who held their titles in their own right. These queens—Margrethe II of Denmark, Beatrix of the Netherlands, Ntombi Twala of Swaziland, and Queen Elizabeth II—embody Warhol’s fascination with feminine power, global leadership, and royal iconography.
For the series, Warhol used official state or media photographs as source material. For Queen Elizabeth II, he selected the official portrait released during her Silver Jubilee in 1977, originally taken by Peter Grugeon in 1975. Moreover, Warhol reused this image for four different prints, each transformed through color shifts, compositional changes, and expressive linework.
Color, Technique, and Composition
In Queen Elizabeth II 335, Warhol contrasts a purple backdrop with the Queen’s vivid green dress and a palette of neon pinks and blues. He built the print with multiple screens, layering abstract color blocks behind the monarch. This approach emphasizes Warhol’s silkscreen technique, a method he used to replicate images rapidly while still allowing for variation. Moreover, printing four portraits of each queen reinforced his interest in repetition. Notably, this was one of the core concepts that shaped his studio practice.
Warhol’s preoccupation with mass production and duplication is reflected throughout the series. His art studio, famously called “The Factory,” operated with an industrial philosophy. Here, Warhol embraced commercial methods to challenge traditional notions of originality. This philosophy aligns with the widespread reproduction of royal imagery—appearing on coins, stamps, and official state materials—which further blurs the line between political symbolism and pop iconography.
Queen Elizabeth II 335 in Warhol’s Larger Body of Work
Warhol frequently explored the intersection of celebrity, power, and media influence. His portrayals of political and cultural figures—such as John F. Kennedy, Vladimir Lenin, and Jimmy Carter—demonstrate his interest in public authority as much as in Hollywood fame. Similarly, his iconic Marilyn Monroe prints reveal his tendency to glamorize his subjects through color, line, and repetition.
In this print, Warhol enhances the Queen’s features with makeup-like colors: pink lips, blue eye accents, and high-contrast shadows. These stylistic choices align the monarch with the visual language of pop celebrity, merging state portraiture with Warholian glamour. As a result, Queen Elizabeth II 335 becomes both a royal icon and a Pop Art celebrity—elevated, stylized, and unmistakably Warhol.
Photo Credit: Andy holding print of Queen Elizabeth. Photo by Derek Husdon. Courtesy of Getty Images.
