David Lammy’s Foreign Office removed a portrait of the late Queen Elizabeth II in favour of pan-African flags, it has been revealed. According to the Telegraph, a photograph of Britain’s longest-reigning monarch was removed from the department’s Whitehall headquarters, following Lammy’s appointment as Foreign Secretary last year.

The portrait of the Queen, taken by David Bailey in 2014, is now held in storage. It is unclear whether or not the portrait has been replaced by one of King Charles III. Ministers are entitled to redecorate official buildings and have an art collection consisting of 15,000 pieces of artwork from which to choose.

It is believed that the vast collection of art held in the Government Art Collection enables politicians and diplomats worldwide to project British soft power.

In the place of the late monarch’s portrait are works by British Ghanaian artist Larry Achiampong’s, including the Pan African Flag For The Relic Travellers’ Alliance (Community) and (Motion), which are both large green, yellow and red designs with 54 black stars representing all African nations.

The Telegraph reports that only the motion remains on display, with community having been taken down at the end of 2024.

The exact location of the pieces is unknown, but it is understood that new commissions have been displayed in the Green Room at Lancaster House where foreign dignitaries are often hosted.

New commissions include Lubaina Himid’s 2021 work Old Boat, New Weather, which addresses themes of slavery, imperial-era trade, and the wider injustices associated with colonialism.

In the Green Room, it was displayed alongside a small version of Yinka Shonibare’s Nelson’s Ship in a Bottle, a reproduction of Nelson’s flagship HMS Victory featuring sails made from African-patterned fabric.

Shonibare has described the piece as a celebration of London’s ethnic diversity, intended to recognise and honour the many cultures that continue to contribute to the United Kingdom.

The revelation that the Queen’s photo was removed is not the first time that decisions of senior Labour ministers to snub British heroes have caused wonder.

Last year, it was revealed that the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, had removed a portrait of Shakespeare, whilst important British historical figures such as Sir Walter Raleigh, Queen Elizabeth I, and Margaret Thatcher had all seen their portraits removed.

Across Whitehall, figures such as Benjamin Disraeli, Admiral Lord Nelson and David Lloyd George have been taken down from display, according to reports.

Incredibly, even Sir Winston Churchill, Britain’s most famous Prime Minister who defeated the threat of Nazi Germany, was unable to evade Rachel Reeves’ purge on men as his portrait in Number 11 was removed in place of a woollen tapestry depicting an “unknown woman” in No 11.

The Foreign Office have been approached for comment.