Queen Elizabeth II, often regarded as one of the most photographed individuals in history, is portrayed in a novel light in a previously unseen collection of images.

For the first time, these exclusive ‘behind the scenes’ photographs reveal the late queen posing on a wooden ‘sawhorse’ at Buckingham Palace. The images capture her in full riding attire while she was being painted by American artist Arnold Friberg.

As the 8-foot by 5-foot painting arrives in the UK for its debut, the Daily Mail shares the intriguing backstory of this portrait, highlighting the unique connection between the queen and the artist.

Arnold Friberg passed away at the age of 96 in Salt Lake City in 2010. Renowned for his equestrian studies, he also received an Oscar nomination for his artwork in Cecil B. DeMille’s 1956 film, The Ten Commandments.

Friberg’s career began in 1937 when, at just 24, he was commissioned to create a series featuring the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, famously known as the Mounties.

In 1978, he was again selected to paint a portrait, this time of the then Prince of Wales, a project commissioned by a group supporting the Mounties.

He travelled to England to paint Charles, then 29, with his mother’s horse, setting up a studio in Buckingham Palace for six weeks. The project was such a success that when the group asked to commission a portrait of the Queen 18 years on, she jumped at the chance to work with Friberg.

In a letter dated May 1990, her private secretary Robert Fellowes wrote offering the rare opportunity of several two-hour sittings.

Published here for the first time, a series of ‘behind the scenes’ pictures show the late monarch posing on a wooden ‘sawhorse’ for American artist Arnold Friberg

The Daily Mail can reveal the story behind the portrait – and of the sovereign’s bond with the artist

Friberg and his wife, Heidi, were given permission to move back into Buckingham Palace again for six weeks, setting up a home-from-home studio in its Yellow Salon. He decided to set the piece in the palace gardens.

Friberg said it was a ‘pinch me’ moment, adding: ‘Who am I, to be at Buckingham Palace, and I’m painting a royal portrait? I’m just that kid down the block that likes to draw.’

Yet the Queen, then aged 64, enjoyed his company so much – and was so fascinated by his depictions of her favourite horse Centenial – that she would wander in to check on his progress.

Centenial was presented to the Queen in 1972 to mark the 100th year of the Mounties, who regularly supply the Royal Family with horses for ceremonial occasions.

The Queen apparently deliberately chose to spell his name with just one ‘n’ so that he would stand out ‘and not be common’.

Friberg said: ‘He’s a splendid, silky animal… beautiful. She’s small, but she had no trouble getting up on that horse. She loves that horse.’

Over time, artist and sitter relaxed in each other’s company.

Recalling their last sitting on July 4, 1990 – American Independence Day – Friberg said the Queen had just returned from an official visit to Canada.

‘She said, “If I fall asleep today, it’ll be jet lag”. And I said, “You made me work on our national holiday… I know what you’re doing, you’re getting even for Bunker Hill [where hundreds of British troops died in the first battle of the American Revolution]”. We had a lot of fun.’

Friberg’s (left) painting of Charles was such a success that the Queen (right) jumped at the chance to work with him

He added: ‘My wife Heidi was with me. She did my photography and she and the Queen hit it right off. So the Queen is up on the horse and they’re jabbering away.

‘My wife is a nurse, and they were talking about the Prince’s [Charles] shoulder injury. He had gotten hurt in a polo accident and Heidi said that they [the people who treated him] did the wrong thing… she said they’re going to have to do it over [again].

‘The Queen says, “That’s what I thought but nobody would listen to me”.’

They were right – Charles had broken his arm in two places. It did not heal and had to be reset.

He added: ‘Knowing it was the last sitting, I was very tense, and my camera wasn’t working.

‘The film wouldn’t wind. She got down off the horse and she said: “Look, here’s what you’ve done. You see, your film… you didn’t engage the sprocket”.

‘And then she fixed it, and she said, ‘Now it’ll work”.’

Friberg, who was invited to be a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, later said: ‘I feel good about leaving such a picture to the world.

‘There’s a certain radiance she [the Queen] has. She’s a beautiful lady. She walks into the room and it lights up.’

The portrait was unveiled at the Governor’s House in Victoria, British Columbia, in August 1994 but remained hanging in Friberg’s studio until his death.

First Freedom Art Company acquired the collection from his family in 2022. They will show the portrait for the first time in the UK privately at Parliament next week, with a public exhibition early next year.