Unseen photo of smiling Queen released by Buckingham Palace ahead of funeral

EMBARGOED TO 2230 SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 18 MANDATORY CREDIT: Ranald Mackechnie EDITORIAL USE ONLY. The photograph shall not be used without permission from Royal Communications. There shall be no commercial use whatsoever of the photograph (including any use in merchandising, advertising or any other non-editorial use). The photograph must not be digitally enhanced, manipulated or modified in any manner or form when published. The photograph is free for use until September 25th 2022. Thereafter the portrait is available only via Camera Press. Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of Queen Elizabeth II photographed at Windsor Castle in May 2022. Issue date: Sunday September 18th, 2022. Photo credit should read: Royal Household/Ranald Mackechnie/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Credit: Ranald Mackechnie

A never-seen-before photo of a beaming Queen has been released by Buckingham Palace ahead of her funeral.

The portrait was taken in Windsor Castle in May, ahead of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

The late monarch is seen wearing a pale blue dress and her favourite three-strand pearl necklace, pearl earrings and her aquamarine and diamond clip brooches which were an 18th birthday present from her father George VI in 1944.

The two art deco-style pieces were made by Boucheron from baguette, oval and round diamonds and aquamarines.

The Queen wore the brooches when she addressed the nation on the 75th anniversary of VE Day in 2020 and for her Diamond Jubilee televised speech in 2012.

The image was taken by photographer Ranald Mackechnie, who also took a portrait of the Queen that was released in June to mark her 70-year reign.

The UK celebrated the Queen's Platinum Jubilee three months before she died.

The unseen portrait of the Queen in full Credit: Ranald Mackechnie
Full timeline of the Queen's state funeral and burial
The route the Queen's coffin will take on the day of the state funeral