A mural has been unveiled in a Keswick alleyway as a tribute to the late Queen.
Artist Paul Wilmott believes it could be the only mural in the country that captures Her Majesty in her late 20s before her Coronation.
He and former town mayor Cllr Alan Dunn had initially agreed to paint a small child looking down the street “as a bit of a quirky thing to do”. But on the death of the monarch, the pair decided on a tribute to the Queen.
The alleyway is opposite the Alhambra cinema on St John’s Street and leads to Mr Dunn’s home.
“During the early part of 2022 alterations were going on at the Alhambra and the builders parked outside it, obstructing the entrance to our house,” said Mr Dunn. “During the 40 years we have lived here we have never damaged our car but I managed to scratch it three times, resulting in over £1,000 of damage.
“This started my wife, Heather, thinking that perhaps if there was something visual at the entrance it might help to concentrate my mind and avoid further damage.”
Paul completed the work over a period of three weeks, working on it for two hours a day, equating to around 30 hours. It was officially unveiled by Keswick Mayor, Cllr Steve Harwood, on Saturday morning.
“I kept making changes because I did not have an exact photograph because it’s a young Queen in her late 20s and she is looking right towards the cinema and I could not get a picture and I had to keep sketching and sketching until I got her face at that angle,” said Paul.
“I did not want to work from a photo so her clothes are from my imagination. The idea was to catch a woman who could be anybody. Before her coronation she was a free woman and it has captured her at that time in her life.
“I am not a royalist but I did think a great deal of her and I did not want to do the stock Paddington image that we have all grown used to.
“Alan originally had the idea of a young woman looking down the street and I was a bit late in doing it and when I got round to doing it, the Queen had just died. This is a tribute and I have not left any indication that it’s the Queen, although obviously the corgi gives it away. So there is no message or anything here.
“While doing it, it seemed to strike a chord with people. It’s just that sort of image that is not quite so common. Most of the images are the stamp image or of the Queen in royal regalia or with heads of state.
“I think it’s the only mural in the country of the Queen before her coronation as a young woman. As you walk down St John’s Street it could be of anybody. That is what I like about it. There was a time when she could just have passed off as anybody.”
Mr Dunn said: “We have watched with great interest as Paul worked hour after hour on this project, altering, changing effects and almost starting again as he painted the mural.
“Paul is a perfectionist, and whereas we thought the portrait was perfect he was not always satisfied and continued tirelessly until we have now this amazing piece of artwork and hope people passing by will appreciate this wonderful work.”
