Freud to paint Queen's portrait
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.LUCIAN FREUD, whose unforgiving portraits have earned him the reputation of the world's greatest living realist painter, has provisionally agreed to paint the Queen.
Among the 76-year-old artist's conditions is that Her Majesty travel to his west London studio for her sittings. He is also understood to have requested that the Queen endure 72 sittings, unlike her normal 5, but subsequently relaxed this term.
In the past Freud has refused to paint a number of notables, including the Pope and Diana, Princess of Wales. His provisional agreement to paint the monarch, which follows six years of delicate negotiations by her confidant, Sir Robert Fellowes, was welcomed by the Royal Society of Portrait Painters (RSPP) yesterday.
"If one of our greatest living painters actually manages to paint the Queen and paint her properly, without all this nonsense of only being allowed five one-hour sittings, then we will all raise an enormous cheer," said Daphne Todd, president of the RSPP.
"A lot of royal portraits are sycophantic ... Provided Lucian Freud is not daunted by the rigmarole of royalty, it will be a better painting than most."
The Queen, who is 72, sits for about six portraits a year, most of them destined for regimental messes. If the Freud project goes ahead it is understood she would pose in informal dress, for a head-and-shoulders portrait. Well-known for her lack of vanity, the Queen is unlikely to be offended by an unflattering result.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments