Her soft waves are now a snowy white, while her face shows the inevitable ravages of time.
But a new waxwork of the Queen unveiled by Madame Tussauds yesterday to mark her Diamond Jubilee still manages to capture her innate dignity and sense of majesty.
In fact the £150,0000 figure - the 23rd to have been created in her sixty year reign - is, without a shadow of doubt, the most lifelike yet.
Ageing gracefully: The Queen's waxwork, right, and left, the monarch last week at the opening of Parliament looking more fresh-faced and with fewer wrinkles than her newly unveiled statue would suggest
A Jubilee tribute: Queen's new waxwork is unveiled at Madame Tussauds London today, with the monarch's face looking slightly more lined than it was in previous incarnations
Family affair: The Queen's updated waxwork can be found in the Royal room alongside a youthful-looking Prince Philip, whose waxwork was not given a makeover to bring it up to date, and the other members of the Royal family, including the recently revealed statues of William and Kate
Others images have been rather less successful, giving the queen a rather bouffant set of curls - and a decidedly foreboding expression.
The latest mannequin, however, recreates the image of the head of state from her official Diamond Jubilee photographs released earlier this year.
Wearing a pure white silk, satin and lace dress covered with silver-coloured sequins and bearing a subtle scalloped hem, her gown is a detailed replica of the State Dress designed by Angela Kelly, her senior dresser and personal assistant.
Miss Kelly personally advised the Tussauds team who made a replica of the gown.
On her head is the State Diadem, a circlet of diamonds, created in 1820. The Queen wears this during the procession to and from the State Opening of Parliament, and wore it on her Coronation Day in 1953, for the procession to Westminster Abbey.
Her jewellery also provides a touching link with the past and includes her great-great grandmother Queen Victoria’s Collet Necklace which has been worn by five generations of Royal Ladies - Queen Victoria, Queen Alexandra, Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and the present Queen. Queen Victoria wore this necklace for her own official Diamond Jubilee photograph, issued in 1897.
Attention to detail: Every hair on the Queen's head was applied individually by hand to create the natural finish
Uncanny: Tussauds employee Lisa Burton puts the finishing touches to the Queen's statue today
Crowning glory: Tussauds' Keeley Scothern adjusts the Monarch's jewels ahead of the big reveal
On the blue Garter Riband or sash draped along her torso, the Queen is wearing the Royal Family Orders of her grandfather, King George V, and father, King George VI as well as the Garter Star.
A spokesman for Madame Tussauds described the figure as ‘softer and warmer’ than the last model they made in 2001.
‘This is a warmer, softer Queen, the last time we made a model of the Queen was in 2001, so this is a new version and she’s slightly older,’ they said.
Sculptor Steve Swales created the new figure and was part of a team of 20 that worked for four months to create a lifelike depiction of one of the most famous women in the world.
Mr Swales used measurements taken when the sovereign sat for him in 2001, the date of her last wax work, as well as recent photographs.
The new figure is the latest addition to Madame Tussauds’ royal collection, which also features hugely popular models of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, unveiled last month, the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Harry and the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall.
The spokeswoman added: ‘When we said we were making a new Queen model people were excited.
‘There’s a huge sense of excitement both in the UK and overseas, we believe it will be as popular as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.’
Inspiration: The official Diamond Jubilee portrait by John Swannell that Tussauds used to recreate the Queen's likeness
Royal makeover: A sculptor working on the Queen's Diamond Jubilee waxwork, which was unveiled today
Business as usual: Prince Philip attended the final day of the Windsor Horse Show in the grounds of Windsor castle yesterday
Royal show: Prince Philip looked in high spirits as he enjoyed the day's events
Flattering likeness: As his waxwork has yet to be updated, the statue of Prince Philip, pictured today age 90, now looks to be several years younger than the Queen's
IF AT FIRST YOU DON'T SUCCEED...
SOME OF TUSSAUDS' EARLIER EFFORTS
LEFT: A two-year-old Princess Elizabeth on show at Madame Tussauds in 1928
RIGHT: Queen Elizabeth II at Madame Tussauds in 1956
LEFT: Prince Charles and Queen Elizabeth II waxworks at Madame Tussauds in 1969
RIGHT: Queen Elizabeth II in 1977
LEFT: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Madame Tussaud's in 1985
RIGHT: The most recent waxwork of Queen Elizabeth II at Madame Tussaud's in 2001
