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Queen Elizabeth II, 94, made royal history earlier this week when she became the first-ever British sovereign to watch a portrait of herself unveiled via video link. The new painting was commissioned by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) as a lasting tribute to the Queen’s outstanding diplomatic work.

Prize-winning artist Miriam Escofet depicted the Queen in a striking blue dress sitting in a gilt chair in an ornate room.

Next to the Queen is an empty teacup inscribed with “FCO” in a subtle nod to the Government department.

The eagle-eyed Queen doesn’t miss a trick though, and having praised the “luminous” portrait she was quick to point out the teacup was empty.

Speaking after the Zoom call Ms Escort said: “She seemed to react very positively to it.”

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The artist added: “She was smiling, asking how long it took and if I had any more projects on the go after this.

“When I explained certain elements of the painting, the teacup, she made some amusing comments.

“She said ‘but there’s no tea in the cup’.

“I said I’m afraid the tea has been sacrificed for the symbolism.”

Ms Escofet said the new portrait was inspired by The Ambassadors painting by artist Hans Holbein the Younger, which features a symbolic skull.

But symbolic as it may be the Queen’s empty teacup has prompted a strong reaction from some royal fans on Twitter, with one even questioning “is it sacrilege?”

The Queen is known for her love of tea which she drinks every afternoon without fail.

Which may be why some royal fans felt she had been shortchanged by being depicted with an empty cup.

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Reacting to the empty teacup one Twitter user wrote: “GIVE THE WOMAN A BLOODY CUP OF TEA.”

While one went as far as suggesting the empty FCO-inscribed cup symbolised the state of the Government department.

They wrote: “The teacup is symbolic of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office: empty.”

Ms Escofet had two sittings with the Queen – one at Windsor where she spent around half-an-hour photographing the monarch and the second at Buckingham Palace to focus on her facial expressions.

The painting took seven months to finish and was completed during lockdown.

After watching the portrait be unveiled via video conference the Queen said: “I’m glad I’ve had the chance to see it.

“I hope I’ll see it in real life one day.”

The Queen has been isolating at Windsor Castle since March but is due to travel to Balmoral next month.

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