A man has been arrested after a portrait of the Queen was defaced with paint at Westminster Abbey. The picture, which has been removed from public view, had been on display in the Chapter House for a few weeks before it was vandalised.
Scotland Yard said the man was detained on suspicion of criminal damage.
The oil on canvas piece, that was sprayed with paint in the attack, measures 9feet by 11feet and depicts the monarch in the Sacrarium of Westminster Abbey, also known as the Coronation Theatre.
The Australian-born artist Ralph Heimans had a sitting with the Queen at Buckingham Palace on March 21 last year, but the scene is an imagined one, set at night in the Abbey.
The work depicts Her Majesty in a moment of solitary reflection, standing at the centre circle of the Cosmati pavement, on the exact spot she was crowned.
An Abbey spokesman said "In an incident at lunchtime today, a visitor to the Abbey sprayed paint on the Ralph Heimans portrait of the Queen presently on display in the Chapter House. Until work can be done to remedy the damage it will, very regrettably, not be possible to have the painting on public view."
Earlier arrests due to protest
Earlier, two women were arrested across the road from the Abbey at the Houses of Parliament following a protest, according to reports. It is not known whether the two incidents are connected.
The painting, entitled 'The Coronation Theatre, Westminster Abbey: A Portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II', was shown publicly for the first time in September by the Australian governor-general Quentin Bryce at the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra.
It was then moved to the UK where it was unveiled in London last year for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations and put on display in the Abbey last month.
Mr. Heimans said at the time of its first public unveiling: "Through the narrative of the portrait I wanted to produce a work of particular significance for the Diamond Jubilee.
"By representing the Queen as she reflects on this incredible milestone in her life, I wanted to explore the dynamic between her public role and the personal, emotional dimension."
