By Jonathan Isaby
The Princess Royal was the the Scottish Parliament yesterday to unveil a portrait of her mother, which was commissioned after Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser first asked that such a portrait should be installed at Holyrood in 2009.
Explains Murdo:
“It is welcome news that the Scottish Parliament now hangs a portrait of HM The Queen, Scotland’s Head of State, in the building. It is a fitting tribute to the very warm friendship and support that the Queen has shown to the Scottish Parliament as an institution since it was established in 1999.
“The official portrait was taken by Shaun Murawski, a talented young Scottish photographer, and showcases his photography skills and is an excellent portrait of the Queen. It will hang proudly in the Main Hall of the Scottish Parliament for visitors, guests and staff to see.
“The Queen has always been a strong supporter of Holyrood and I am delighted that we now have an official portrait to show our appreciation for her support.”
The Parliament's Presiding Officer, Alex Fergusson - originally elected as a Conservative MSP - added that he thought the portrait was "absolutely stunning".
"I think it's a wonderful piece of work and I think it will grace our walls for many years to come. It's an astonishing piece of work and I personally am absolutely delighted with it."
> Boris Johnson installed a portrait of The Queen at City Hall, after finding that there never was one there during Ken Livingstone's sojourn, whilst Eric Pickles did the same at CCHQ and the DCLG and Tim Loughton likewise at the Department for Education.
