Summary
Monkey Queen depicts Queen Elizabeth II as a chimpanzee, her simian face crowned and adorned with the British monarch's diadem, pearl necklace and earrings, set against a Royal Air Force roundel of concentric blue, white and red circles. Rendered in Banksy's signature stencil technique, it fuses two of his core preoccupations — primates and the monarchy — into one of his most recognizable assaults on British establishment iconography.
Why It Matters
The print is a direct provocation aimed at the symbolic heart of the British state: the sovereign. By swapping the Queen's face for a chimpanzee while retaining the full regalia of monarchy and framing it on the patriotic RAF target, Banksy reduces inherited power and national pride to something animal and absurd, a typical street-artist jab at deference and tradition. It belongs to his early-2000s monkey series, in which apes stand in for the powerful and the powerless alike, and remains one of the clearest visual statements of his anti-establishment, anti-monarchy stance. The roundel motif also nods to Mod and British pop culture, giving the image a graphic punch beyond its political bite.
Collector Perspective
Monkey Queen exists in both a signed and an unsigned edition; this is the unsigned version, which trades at a meaningful discount to its signed counterpart and sits lower in the demand hierarchy that governs Banksy values. As a 2003 screen print from the Pictures on Walls era, it carries the period provenance collectors look for, though buyers should expect to verify authenticity through Pest Control documentation, which is the gatekeeper for resale at auction. It is a desirable, instantly legible image that performs reliably when correctly authenticated, but the unsigned status and uncertain edition particulars place it as an accessible entry point rather than a blue-chip centerpiece. Condition — sun-fading of the red, handling creases, trimmed margins — materially affects price.
Historical Context
Produced in 2003, the work dates to Banksy's Stencil Boom Era, the period when his street stencils were translating into a collectible print practice through Pictures on Walls and his profile was rising sharply in the UK. It draws on a long English satirical tradition of caricaturing the monarch, here aimed at Queen Elizabeth II, and arrived in the years surrounding her 2002 Golden Jubilee, when royal imagery was especially prominent in British public life. The RAF roundel ties the piece to a broader wartime and nationalist visual vocabulary Banksy was repeatedly subverting in the early 2000s.
FAQ
What does Monkey Queen depict?
It portrays Queen Elizabeth II with the face of a chimpanzee, wearing the crown, pearl necklace and earrings of the British monarch, set against a red, white and blue Royal Air Force roundel.
Is this print signed or unsigned?
This is the unsigned edition. Banksy also issued a signed version of Monkey Queen; the unsigned variant typically sells for less and is considered the more accessible of the two.
What is the edition size?
The exact edition size for this unsigned release is not confirmed here. Buyers should rely on Pest Control authentication documentation for edition details rather than assumed figures.
What medium is it?
It is a screen print, made in 2003 using Banksy's stencil-derived graphic approach and published in the Pictures on Walls era.
Who is Banksy?
Banksy is an anonymous England-based street artist who emerged from Bristol in the early 1990s, known for fast stencil work, dark humour and anti-war, anti-capitalist and anti-establishment imagery.
About the Artist
Banksy is an anonymous England-based street artist, political activist and film director whose identity remains officially unconfirmed. Emerging from the Bristol underground scene in the early 1990s, he developed a fast, stencil-based technique for working in public space, pairing dark humour with anti-war, anti-capitalist and anti-establishment messages. Recurring motifs include rats, monkeys, riot police, and children with balloons or weapons. Many of his prints were published through Pictures on Walls and rank among the most heavily traded in the secondary market, while stunts such as the self-shredding Girl with Balloon, the Walled Off Hotel in Bethlehem and the Gross Domestic Product homeware line have made him one of the most recognised artists in the world.
Collecting Banksy at Gauntlet Gallery
Where can I buy authentic Banksy prints?
Gauntlet Gallery offers an extensive, authenticated inventory of Banksy prints and contemporary editions, with new drops added regularly. Browse the current collection at gauntlet.gallery.
How does Gauntlet Gallery ensure authenticity?
Gauntlet Gallery is built on curation, authenticity and transparency — every work is vetted and its provenance, edition details and condition are disclosed up front.
Does Gauntlet Gallery add new Banksy prints?
Yes. New drops are released regularly across Banksy and other leading artists; see gauntlet.gallery for the latest inventory.