Posted on 9th Aug
A student has won a national competition to design the emblem for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022.
BA Graphic and Communication Design student Edward Roberts, 19, of Southwell, who has just completed the first year of his degree course at the University of Leeds, was announced as the winner of the competition by Buckingham Palace and the V&A Museum.
Edward’s winning emblem will be prominent at celebrations marking Her Majesty’s 70 years as monarch, including street parties and televised national events. It will also appear on Jubilee publications, merchandise, official websites and the Royal Family’s social media accounts.
He chose purple for his design, a colour which traditionally symbolises Royalty. In consultation with the Royal Collection Trust, the purple used in the final emblem is the shade which most closely corresponds to the purple in Her Majesty The Queen’s Robe of Estate and Coronation Gown.
The teenager included a circle to border St Edward’s Crown, to create the impression of a Royal Seal, and incorporated the number ’70’, signifying the Platinum Jubilee, within the top of the Crown. The font used for the lettering is ‘Perpetua’, which means ‘forever’, and reflects the font style that appeared on Her Majesty’s Coronation Order of Service in 1953.
Edward said: “For my design, I wanted to give a modern twist to the iconic elements of St Edward’s Crown, and so I created a continuous line, which I felt was a fitting representation of The Queen’s reign.”
The winning design was chosen by a panel of graphic designers, visual artists and design professionals, experts from the V&A, the Royal College of Art, the Design Museum, and a representative from the Royal Household, chaired by V&A Director Tristram Hunt. The competition was open to young people aged between 13 and 25 from all over the United Kingdom.
Edward’s winning design, created in his spare time, will be displayed at the V&A in June 2022. He will also receive a prize of £1,500 and a year’s free membership of the V&A.
Edward said he was thinking of ways to recreate the continuity of the Queen’s reign and had a Eureka moment.
He said: “I thought if I could create a continuous line that incorporates the key features of St Edward’s crown, that would be a really good way of representing the continuing reign of the Queen.
“I wanted the design to also symbolise a royal seal and put it within a circle to give the impression of a royal wax seal. I think that’s come across really effectively in the design.
“Art and design have always been passions of mine. From completing an A-level in art to then going on to university to study graphic design, I try to use both disciplines in my work as much as possible.
“I wasn’t expecting to win the competition. When I was told I had made it into the top 100 entries, I felt that was an achievement on its own. It feels such an honour to have won it.”
The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee will be marked with a four-day Bank Holiday weekend next June. Celebrations include a live concert outside Buckingham Palace, with some of the world’s biggest acts – and Edward will be invited to attend.
