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.

Note to picture editors
1. The official photographs by Lord Snowdon and the photographic portraits by Jane Bown are being released by Camera Press (telephone 020 7378 1300).

2. The Exhibition photographic portrait by Jane Bown will be available from Camera Press from 11.00 on Sunday 2nd April, embargoed to 0001 hours GMT on Monday 3rd April.

A further photograph available for general media use will be available from 13.00 on Monday, 3rd April.

The third photograph by Jane Bown will be available for (evening) regional media use from 06.30 on Monday 10th April.

3. The official photograph (colour) by Lord Snowdon may be viewed (only) at Camera Press from 15.00 to 18.00 on Tuesday 18th April, and available from 11.00 on Wednesday 19th April, embargoed to 0001 hours GMT on Thursday 20th April.

4. Another official photograph (black and white) may be viewed from 15.00 to 18.00 on Friday 21st April with availability from 11.00 on Saturday 22nd April.

5. The Exhibition photograph by Lord Snowdon will be available from 11.00 on Saturday 22nd April.

Further information on The Queen's birthday can be obtained from the official web site for The Queen's 80th birthday, which is regularly updated by the Buckingham Palace Press Office.

Further information about media facilities for the Photographic Exhibition at Windsor Castle are available from the Royal Collection Press Office, 020 7839 1377.