Queen Elizabeth Unveils Statue of Herself in Australia and Jokes About Being Mistaken for the Real Her

Queen Elizabeth II recently showcased her sense of humour during a video call where she unveiled a new statue of herself in Australia.

The 94-year-old monarch held a virtual meeting with South Australian Governor Hye-Yoo Van Lee and Premier Stephen Marshall, which was shared on the official British Royal Family Twitter handle.

At the beginning of the call, the Queen appeared cheerful as she greeted the officials and joked about what time of day it was in Australia.

During the conversation, the Queen unveiled the new statue of herself made by sculptor Robert Hannaford, which was recently installed in the grounds of the Government House in Adelaide.

Upon seeing the statue, the Queen joked about how the sculpture might be mistaken for the real her and surprise people.

The sculpture depicts Her Majesty carrying her favourite Launa handbag while dressed in her trademark coat and hat.

Sculptor Robert Hannaford, who was also present at the video call, then presented the Queen with a marquette, a scale model of the artwork, which will be sent to her as a memento.

The Queen graciously accepted the gift, joking that she was glad it wasn't quite as big as the original statue.

During the video call, the Governor and Premier briefed the Queen on the latest developments in the region, including the vaccination rollout to key workers, the response to COVID-19, and the lifting of restrictions in South Australia.

The Queen also heard about the recovery from the drought and bushfires and the cooperation between health services, police, government, and the resilience of the Australian people.

The statue was gifted to the Government House by a group of people who had discussed it with the Queen a few years ago.

Since its installation, the statue has become the most popular place for people to take photographs, with many feeling very close to the Queen through standing in front of it.

The Queen's video call, which took place on Wednesday, was released by Buckingham Palace on the same day that the Duke of Edinburgh was transferred to another hospital by ambulance.

Prince Philip, who is 99 years old, had spent almost two weeks in King Edward VII Hospital and was moved to St Bartholomew's for testing and observation for a pre-existing heart condition.

Despite the Duke of Edinburgh's hospitalisation, the Queen appeared to be in good spirits during the video call and enjoyed the lighthearted moment when she joked about being mistaken for the statue.