‘Something’s not right’: New statue of Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip and corgis leaves onlookers disappointed

11 September 2024, 08:22 | Updated: 11 September 2024, 08:25

A new statue to commemorate the life of Queen Elizabeth II has received mixed reviews from onlookers who have said it doesn’t look ‘right’.

The bronze sculpture, created by north Belfast artist Anto Brennan, was unveiled in Antrim Castle Gardens on Saturday.

But it has drawn a fair amount of criticism from visitors – as well as on social media.

One tourist visiting the castle with two friends from El Salvador said the statue ‘doesn’t seem like the queen’.

“The dogs and Prince Philip look nice, but the queen, it doesn’t look like her,” he said.

Another visitor said: “Something’s not right about her upper body posture and her right arm but it’s still lovely to see her”.

One online commentator wrote: “The figures have really odd proportions, and the poses are ‘off’.

“Oddly enough the corgi is not terrible.”

Another wrote: “If you hadn’t told me it was the Queen and Philip I wouldn’t have guessed it.”

Antrim and Newtownabbey councillor Vera McWilliam told BBC News NI: “We have to be honest, it does not resemble the queen in any shape or form.”

However other viewers were more complimentary.

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Brenda from Lisburn, said she thinks that the statue should have been “made to look older” but “on the whole it is really nice” and “you still get what it represents and what it is about”.

Two other visitors, Francis and Marie from Magherafelt, said: “It’s great, I think they have it down to the tee.”

Comments have been turned off on a social media post by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council featuring the first photos of the sculpture.