Inside the Story
Monument of Queen Elizabeth II on Horseback (1992): An Unforgettable Equestrian
As Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla visit Canada (May 26-27, 2024), we are reminded of the enduring presence of the Crown in our national identity. This presence isn’t felt solely through ceremony, but through the symbols and monuments that inhabit our shared public spaces.
This photographic series, Equestrian Majesty, pays tribute to one such enduring symbol: the monument of Queen Elizabeth II on horseback, located at Rideau Hall in Ottawa. These portraits of the monument go beyond documentation—they reflect memory, presence, and the quiet majesty embedded in public art.
A visual meditation on power, grace, and legacy.
The Queen & Canada
Queen Elizabeth II reigned as Canada’s monarch from 1952 until her passing in 2022, a span of seventy years marked by diplomacy, duty, and enduring presence. Throughout her reign, she visited Canada more than any other Commonwealth country, forging a unique bond with Canadians through ceremonial engagements, personal moments of outreach, and constitutional symbolism. Her legacy lives on not only in institutions and memory, but in the public art that reflects her connection to Canada’s identity and history.
Queen Elizabeth II: POWER
A towering presence against a dramatic sky, this view evokes command and confidence.
Creative Technique & Mood Crafting
Each photograph in this series was carefully composed and enhanced through a distinctive post-editing technique: sky replacement. By blending dramatic cloudscapes and vivid sunset hues into each frame, I sought to evoke emotional resonance and complement the monument’s posture, presence, and symbolism. The use of low angles and side profiles emphasizes not only the monument’s scale but also its grandeur — allowing the viewer to experience the Queen’s likeness as if rising from history itself, steadfast and eternal.
Queen Elizabeth II: ELEGANCE
The soft light and autumn tones reveal the sculptural grace in every line.
Queen Elizabeth II: LEGACY
A reminder of duty, tradition, and enduring presence.
About the Sculpture
The Queen Elizabeth II Monument was created by British Columbia sculptor Jack Harman, who, along with a dedicated team of ten, spent two years bringing the statue to life. Unveiled in 1992 to mark Canada’s 125th anniversary, the sculpture portrays the Queen on horseback — a nod to her ceremonial role and connection to the Canadian Armed Forces. While it originally stood on Parliament Hill, the monument has been temporarily relocated to the roundabout on Sussex Drive near Rideau Hall. It will eventually return to its original location once the Centre Block rehabilitation project is complete.
Queen Elizabeth II: POISE
This moment captures not just a monarch, but a lifetime of service etched into silhouette and sky.
Each image of the statute of Queen Elizabeth II on horseback invites the viewer to consider the deeper meanings we attach to figures cast in bronze. They are not static. In different light and context, their stories shift and evolve. So too does our understanding of leadership, history, and identity.
Ordering prints
These photographs of the statue of Queen Elizabeth II on horseback are now available as fine art prints in two sizes (16×20 and 24×36 inches), printed on your choice of Luster Premium, Fine Art Matt, or Photo Rag. If you’d like more information about paper types, print sizes, or how to best care for your artwork, feel free to explore the Resources page, which offers helpful insights into printing, framing, subject selection, and more.
Visit my Shop page to explore the full collection, which includes a range of photographic works—from urban landscapes and symbolic monuments to moody skies and reflective stillness—each piece crafted to evoke meaning, memory, and atmosphere.
