The Royal Collection trust has recently purchased four Andy Warhol portraits of the Queen regnant, painted by the iconic pop artist in 1985. The portraits will be displayed as part of an art show commemorating the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.

“The Warhol portraits were based on an existing photograph taken in 1975 by Peter Grugeon to mark the queen’s Silver Jubliee in 1977. The portraits have been sprinkled with a fine glass powder to make them sparkle like diamonds, according to the Royal Collection…

…’They are in a very interesting and contemporary technique that Andy Warhol really popularized, screen printing with wonderfully vibrant colors, in multiples,’ said Royal Librarian Jane Roberts. ‘They join a collection dating back 4, 5, 600 years. The fact that they are in a completely new technique is not surprising; things change.’ …Roberts said the queen had approved the purchase.” (via LA Times and China Post)

Click here (LA Times) and here (ChinaPost) to read more.