A new commemorative coin marking what would have been Queen Elizabeth II’s 100th birthday has been mocked online for its depiction of Britain’s longest-reigning monarch.
The coin was unveiled by the Royal Australian Mint to honour Queen Elizabeth II, who died in 2022 aged 96, ahead of her centenary year.
According to the Mint’s press release, the “palace-approved design” reflects different facets of the late monarch’s life, incorporating her Royal Cypher, St Edward’s Crown, the Auxiliary Territorial Service emblem, and motifs including a horse and a corgi.
Mint defends design following backlash
Despite the symbolic details, much of the online reaction focused squarely on the portrait itself. In response to a February 1 post on Facebook announcing the coin, several commenters criticised the likeness.
“Look like they watched Shrek while drawing this portrait! It doesn’t even look like her!” one user wrote. Another commented, “Looks like Mrs Doubtfire,” while a third said, “The mint can do much better with a coin depicting the late Queen Elizabeth II’s ‘image’. That one doesn’t even look remotely like her.”
Following the backlash, the Mint shared a follow-up post on February 4 showcasing the coin’s creation process. Accompanied by a video, the caption read, “Our coin images don’t always capture the full beauty of a design once it’s etched in metal.”
The in-depth creation process didn’t improve the coins’ reception, which were only available via a ballot between February 2 and February 4, 2026.
“There’s a reason most portraits are from the side. Looks like she just ran into a wall,” one response said, with another continuing with comparisons to a certain Robin Williams character. “No, stop, don’t release it, melt them all and get a proper portrait of The Queen, not a screenshot of Mrs Doubtfire.”
Comments on the initial RAM Facebook announcement have since been limited. No such restriction has been put in place for the follow-up post.
