Madame Tussauds London has unveiled a stunningly lifelike new figure of Her Majesty The Queen in honour of her Diamond Jubilee. The figure, positioned centre stage in the Royal Area of the attraction, is the 23rd to be created of The Queen by Madame Tussauds London. Replicating the official Jubilee portrait photograph released earlier this year, the figure will be dressed in a recreation of the white and silver lace dress covered in 53,000 SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS with blue silk sash adorned with The Queen’s Garter Badge, topped off by a replica of the diamond and pearl George IV State Diadem. Principal Sculptor, Steve Swales, who also created Her Majesty’s previous figure and attended a sitting at Buckingham Palace in 2001, commented “It is extremely exciting to create a wax figure of Queen Elizabeth II and understandably rather nerve-racking too. Meeting The Queen at our last sitting was an invaluable help in creating this figure. She was very relaxed and warm and I’ve tried to portray that, whilst maintaining a sense of majesty. Her expression is soft, as if she is just about to break into a smile. I hope she approves of the end result.” Buckingham Palace was involved during the creative process of this new figure, with images of the clay head sent to the Palace. “We have a had a close relationship with the British Royal family since Madame Tussauds first opened its doors in Baker Street in 1884 and it has grown in strength ever since” remarked Liz Edwards, PR Manager at the attraction. “We have created more figures of Queen Elizabeth II than anyone else in Madame Tussauds’ history, with the first figure created when she was just two years old. In such an iconic year for The Queen we are thrilled to welcome this new figure to the attraction and we are sure our guests will be excited to get a closer look at our beloved Monarch”. The Queen’s figure took four months to create at a cost of £150,000 and will remain in the Royal area of the attraction alongside recently launched figures of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge plus other members of the Royal Family including the Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Harry.
