Britain's Queen Elizabeth II poses for her official Golden Jubilee portrait in November 2001. Photographer Polly Borland was commissioned for the shoot.
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II poses for her official Golden Jubilee portrait in November 2001. Photographer Polly Borland was commissioned for the shoot.
Polly Borland
Borland created a sparkly gold backdrop because the photo shoot was in what she called the most boring room in Buckingham Palace. "I wanted a more modern take on the Queen," she said. "A much more Andy Warhol-type portrait, something a bit pop art. ... Also it was the Golden Jubilee, so it was a literal intepretation."
Borland created a sparkly gold backdrop because the photo shoot was in what she called the most boring room in Buckingham Palace. "I wanted a more modern take on the Queen," she said. "A much more Andy Warhol-type portrait, something a bit pop art. ... Also it was the Golden Jubilee, so it was a literal intepretation."
Polly Borland
Borland recalled a frantic, hurried shoot that lasted only five minutes because of the Queen's busy schedule.
Borland recalled a frantic, hurried shoot that lasted only five minutes because of the Queen's busy schedule.
Polly Borland
The Palace didn't choose a photo of the Queen with this flower backdrop, but one later appeared on the cover of The Sunday Times Magazine.
The Palace didn't choose a photo of the Queen with this flower backdrop, but one later appeared on the cover of The Sunday Times Magazine.
Polly Borland
When she saw the blue flower print, the Queen "went 'Oooohhh!' and was very shocked," Borland recalled.
When she saw the blue flower print, the Queen "went 'Oooohhh!' and was very shocked," Borland recalled.
Polly Borland
"When she walked in the room, I completely lost all bearings," Borland said. "I went into this kind of weird, nervous zone."
"When she walked in the room, I completely lost all bearings," Borland said. "I went into this kind of weird, nervous zone."
Polly Borland
"The Queen wasn't standing in the place I needed her to stand in," Borland remembered. "At one stage I found myself on the ground, about to manhandle her ankles to get her to move. Luckily my husband came in and went 'Ma'am, I think Polly wants you to step to the right.' I was told it's the closest anyone's got to her with a camera."
"The Queen wasn't standing in the place I needed her to stand in," Borland remembered. "At one stage I found myself on the ground, about to manhandle her ankles to get her to move. Luckily my husband came in and went 'Ma'am, I think Polly wants you to step to the right.' I was told it's the closest anyone's got to her with a camera."
Polly Borland