Queen Elizabeth II 336 by Andy Warhol presents the British monarch with striking clarity and authority. Warhol sets the portrait against a bold hot pink background that immediately commands attention. Queen Elizabeth’s face appears calm and composed, rendered with crisp linework and minimal shading. Blocks of pale pink and lavender interrupt the surface, creating tension between realism and abstraction. Her gold tiara, necklace, and earrings gleam against the saturated field. Warhol draws the viewer’s eye to symbols of continuity and power. His layered screenprinting sharpens the Queen’s deep blue eyes and light blue sash, while the vivid background amplifies her presence without relying on photographic realism. At the same time, this carefully staged image draws from a long tradition of official royal portraiture.
The Reigning Queens Portfolio
Queen Elizabeth II 336 belongs to the Reigning Queens portfolio from 1985. The series includes four prints of each reigning female monarch at the time: Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, Queen Ntombi Twala of Swaziland, and Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. For the Queen Elizabeth images, Warhol used a photograph taken by Peter Grugeon at Windsor Castle in 1975. The image was later released publicly in 1977 to mark her Silver Jubilee.
In Reigning Queens, Warhol treats official portraits much like everyday photographs and familiar objects. He applies the same visual energy he brought to works such as Campbell’s Tomato Soup. Through color, repetition, and abstraction, he transforms state imagery into Pop icons. Rather than reinventing his subjects, Warhol works through subtle shifts in color and emphasis.
Queen Elizabeth II 336 in Warhol’s Larger Body of Work
Warhol remained fascinated by fame and political power throughout his career. He created portraits of cultural figures such as Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor. However, in contrast to fleeting celebrity portraits, these images engage with inherited and institutional authority. Moreover, this print aligns with Warhol’s sustained fascination with fame and visibility. To this end, he also portrayed political leaders including John F. Kennedy, Mao Zedong, and Jimmy Carter. Warhol once said he wanted to be “as famous as the Queen of England,” revealing his attraction to symbolic authority.
To mark her 60th year on the throne, Queen Elizabeth II acquired four of Warhol’s portraits of her. Moreover, these remain the only portraits she owned for which she did not pose directly. The four Queen Elizabeth II prints vary in color and composition, leading collectors to favor specific editions. Warhol used layered outlines and blocks of bright color to balance elegance with Pop intensity. In this instance, pale pink shapes soften the formality of the portrait, while the vibrant background draws focus to the Queen’s eyes and sash.
In the same year, Warhol produced a Royal Edition of the Reigning Queens series using diamond dust. This addition heightened the sense of spectacle and reinforced the themes of glamour and power that run through the portfolio.
Photo Credit: Andy Holding print of Queen Elizabeth. Photo by Derek Hudson. Courtesy of Getty Images.
