A proposal to place a framed portrait of King Charles III in the Mezzanine area of Craigavon Civic Centre raised no issue at yesterday’s (September 4) ABC Governance, Resources and Strategy Committee meeting – however relegating the Queen’s portrait to storage proved a lot less popular.
The relevant agenda item recalled the background behind the current proposal to place the portrait of King Charles, where the late Queen’s portrait is currently on display: “Public authorities across the UK were given the opportunity to apply, at no charge, for one framed portrait of His Majesty King Charles III to mark his new reign.
“Members of the committee agreed that an application (to receive a copy of the portrait of His Majesty King Charles III) should be submitted, and that the location of the portrait would be a matter for the Emerging Issues Working Group to consider.
“The council has now received the framed portrait.
“A portrait of the late Queen Elizabeth II currently hangs in the Mezzanine area in Craigavon Civic Centre, near to the Lord Mayor’s Office.
“The location, for the hanging of the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, was the subject of an Equality Impact Assessment in the former Craigavon Borough Council, and this location (the Mezzanine) was agreed.
“On this basis, it is recommended, on equality and good relations grounds, that the portrait received of King Charles III should also be hung in the Mezzanine area in Craigavon Civic Centre, in place of the portrait of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
“The proposed location of the portrait was raised at the Emerging Issues Working Group in May 2024, and feedback was sought from party leaders.
“Party leaders were content that the portrait of the late Queen Elizabeth II be replaced with the portrait of His Majesty King Charles III.
“Party leaders were also content that the portrait of the late Queen Elizabeth II goes into storage.”
Four months on, however, the thought of the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II going into storage is proving rather more contentious.
Speaking at the committee meeting, Councillor Kate Evans (UUP, Craigavon DEA) remarked: “With regards to the portrait being changed over, I don’t have any issues with the portrait of the Queen being replaced with the King, but I do have an issue with the Queen being placed in storage.
“She was the longest-serving monarch, and I think we could maybe find a better place to put it, than put it in storage.
“I would propose that we possibly move it to the Palace [Demesne in Armagh] instead.”
ABC Legal, Governance and Monitoring officer, Kate McCusker explained that displaying the portrait of the Queen elsewhere would require an Equality Impact Assessment: “We could look at another location, but it would need to be subject to screening.
“We have previously liaised with our Equality and Diversity officer, and it couldn’t be located in an area which is frequented by staff or the public, so it couldn’t be in a reception area or work area.
“We have looked at some locations. There weren’t many of them, but if that’s the proposal you want us to look at, that’s something we can do and I can bring another report back.”
Alderman Mark Baxter (DUP, Lagan River DEA) concurred with the UUP representative: “Cllr Evans is making a valid point. [The Queen] was the longest-serving monarch and was probably unique in that regard worldwide.
“I wouldn’t want to see that portrait going into storage. I think it’s important to have the serving monarch up as quickly as possible, but in supporting this, I wouldn’t want it delaying this [the Queen’s portrait being displayed elsewhere] any further.
“Can we bring a paper back on possible locations?”
ABC chief executive, Roger Wilson explained that identifying an alternative location for the Queen’s portrait would involve a whole new equality screening process: “We’ve already done the equality screening in terms of the monarch, which is why it’s simple and straightforward to be able to put the portrait of the King up.
“There is no decision at this time that has been screened or equality-proofed in terms of the former monarch.
“We can certainly move ahead in terms of putting the King’s portrait up, but then any decision around the Queen’s portrait would then be subject to a whole separate decision-making process. We would be subject to screening.
“I’m in members’ hands as to whether you want to split it that way, with this committee making a recommendation to council.”
Ald Baxter felt that this was the proper way forward, and he seconded Cllr Evans’s proposal to find an alternative location for the Queen’s portrait.
Members will be briefed on progress, regarding finding an equality-compliant location for the Queen’s portrait, at a subsequent committee meeting.
