New Queen Elizabeth II statue panned in Northern Ireland

A new statue of Queen Elizabeth II has met mixed reviews, with one non-plussed critic assessing that it looks more like "an old lady buying potatoes at the market" than Britain's longest-reigning monarch.

The statue of the queen, who died in September 2022 aged 96, was unveiled last week in Antrim Castle Gardens park in Northern Ireland, and also features her husband Prince Philip and two of her beloved corgi dogs.

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council said at the unveiling that the work captures "Her Majesty in a dignified pose, reflecting her grace, steadfastness and lifelong dedication to public service".

The local authority posted images of artist Anto Brennan's work on its social media sites but switched off comments after adverse comments.

One online commentator even likened it to Robin Williams's elderly female housekeeper Mrs Doubtfire in the 1993 Hollywood comedy-drama.

But while the council conceded that art can prompt "diverse opinions", it said it was "delighted" with the "generally positive" response.

Walking his dog at the gardens on Wednesday, Ivor Ritchie, 67, called the sculpture "terrible". "It looks no more like her than the man-in-the-moon," he said.

"I just don't think it looks like her face," added another passer-by, Eddie Smyth, a 52-year-old labourer also from Antrim, a half-hour drive northwest of Belfast.

English tourist Lorraine Barker, 58, agreed. "In fact the corgis are better than the queen I'd say," she told AFP.

The sculpture, one of the first of the queen in the UK since her death, is attracting increasing attention -- and curious visitors to the 400-year-old gardens.

"We came over to see it as we'd heard people talking about it," said Noel Wilson, 62, who drove from the nearby town of Ballymena with his wife Dorothy, 61, to have a look.

Hungarian tourist Gabor Laszlo, 50, struggled to see the queen's likeness but conceded: "Prince Philip is OK."

The queen, who ruled for 70 years, is depicted in a country jacket and tweed skirt, wearing a headscarf and carrying her trademark handbag.

Laszlo was unimpressed, saying it made her look "like an old lady at the market buying some potatoes".

Yet the depiction still has its fans.

"It's a really good replica of how warmly and fondly she is remembered by the British public, I think it's an excellent job," said English visitor Stephen Barker.

For 90-year-old Canadian tourist Roy Hill the work is "a wonderful depiction, very impressive".

"It brings back a lot of memories, I am old enough to remember Queen Elizabeth as a young person, at the coronation," he said.

Another local out for a walk in the park, Muriel McCandless, 81, expressed sympathy with the sculptor, who has yet to comment on the controversy.

"I actually think it's quite good," she laughed.

© Agence France-Presse