Jersey Heritage commissioned ‘Equanimity’, as the portrait (pictured top) is known, in 2003 on behalf of the island to mark 800 years of Jersey’s allegiance to the Crown.

Artist Chris Levine and holographer Rob Munday worked together to create the work, which involved more than 10,000 images and 3D data-sets taken of Her Majesty during two sittings several months apart in the Yellow Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace.

The Prince of Wales unveiled the work at the Jersey Museum in June 2004, and in 2012, it was put on display at Gorey Castle.

At a Special Sitting of the States Assembly yesterday, Minister with responsibility for the Arts, Deputy Kirsten Morel, announced that the Castle would be open to the public all weekend to allow islanders to visit the portrait and pay tribute following a request from the Bailiff, who is Patron of Jersey Heritage.

The Jersey Heritage Board of Trustees has now decided to extend this gesture and entry will now remain free until Sunday 18 September.

The Castle is open daily from 10:00 to 17:00 but will be closed, along with all other Jersey Heritage sites, next Monday, the day of Her Majesty’s funeral.

Usual entry fees will resume from Tuesday 20 September.

Jersey Heritage has assured that its Family History Festival at the Archive will still be taking place this weekend, but it has decided to postpone the ‘Endless Summer’ music event due to take place at Gorey Castle on Saturday. Details of when it will be rescheduled to are to follow.

Among the hundreds of islanders to visit Equanimity over the weekend was Chief Minister Kristina Moore.

“Wonderful to see so many people visiting Mont Orgeuil on this special day. Thank you @loveheritage for giving free admission this weekend for all to see Equanimity,” the Deputy wrote on Twitter.

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