Sculptor explains the inspiration behind Rutland Elizabeth II statue

Hywel Pratley spent 14 months working on the statue

The sculptor behind a statue of Elizabeth II said he studied "endless" imagery to try to perfect her likeness.

Hywel Pratley said he was honoured and intrigued to be asked to design what is thought to be the first permanent memorial to the former monarch who died in 2022.

Hundreds of people attended the statue's unveiling in Oakham, in Rutland, on Sunday.

The statue represents the late queen "at the height of her power".

The bronze statue stands 7ft (2.1m) tall

Mr Pratley said he had discussed the £125,000 sculpture's potential design with Lord Lieutenant of Rutland, Dr Sarah Furness, who commissioned the work.

"We agreed we would like a young queen represented in stately robes," he said.

"I think her great beauty was in her young to early middle age, round about 40, when she had had some children and was at the height of her power."

Mr Pratley, a member of the Royal Society of Sculptors whose previous works can be seen at Kew Gardens and the Jardin's d'Étretat, in Normandy, France, added: "She coincided with the advent of film and photography so the imagery [to work from] was endless."

The 7ft (2.1m) statue stands outside Oakham library.

The sculptor said he was proud of the result of 14 months of work and said he had been "really pleased" with the public reaction after the unveiling.

A ceremony to unveil the statue was held on what would have been Elizabeth II's birthday

He said: "It was important to express the feeling the Queen gave a lot of people - which was almost maternal.

"There were times when people felt quite secure in the knowledge she was there and I thought the best way to tap into the Queen's humanity was to include a corgi.

"But everyone I spoke to said it would be good to have more than one corgi."

The statue features three corgis.

"We've designed it with a bench you can sit on," Mr Pratley added.

"And there's a corgi you can pat and I do think it's inevitably going to be a statue that encourages selfies."