'but there's no tea in the cup'

Испанка Miriam Escofet нарисовала по заказу Министерства иностранных дел Королевста (Foreign and Commonwealth Office, FCO) портрет Её британского величества.

She told the Queen she had settled on a tea cup, including the insignia of the FCO on the saucer and reflected in the cup itself.

The artist said: “It felt really right to apply it to the tea cup. Suddenly this very humble object carries this symbolism representing the FCO and linking the portrait to its destination.

“I explained this to the Queen and she made this very humorous comment about how there’s no tea in the cup.

“I said I’m afraid the tea has been sacrificed for the symbolism.”