Official photographs of The Queen to mark her 80th birthday

THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT IS ISSUED BY THE PRESS SECRETARY TO THE QUEEN

Official photographs of The Queen, commissioned to mark her 80th birthday, have been taken by Lord Snowdon.

An official photograph will be available for publication on Thursday 20th April (the day before The Queen's birthday).

A downloadable version will be available on the Internet for anyone to use for non-commercial or non-media purposes. (N.B. All media, publishing and commercial organisations wishing to use this image should contact Camera Press - see below.) As from 10.00am on Thursday 20th April, this official photograph can be downloaded from www.royal.gov.uk

A further official photograph will be available for publication on Sunday 23rd April.

Photographic portraits by Jane Bown

Photographic portraits of The Queen have been taken by Jane Bown.

One photograph will be available for publication in the national media on Tuesday 4th April. The other image will be available for publication, first in the regional media, on Monday 10th April.

80th Birthday Photographic Exhibition, Windsor Castle

An Exhibition of Photographs to celebrate the 80th Birthday of HM The Queen will be on display in the Drawings Gallery at Windsor Castle from 3rd April 2006 to 11th March 2007.

The Exhibition will include photographs taken by Lord Snowdon and Jane Bown which are unique to the Exhibition, but are available for publication. Lord Snowdon's official photograph will be available from Monday 24th April, and Jane Bown's portrait will be available for publication on Monday 3rd April.