Student’s ‘elegant’ design chosen as Queen’s Platinum Jubilee emblem

Young creatives were set the challenge of summing-up the Queen’s 70-year reign with their artistic skills and Edward Roberts’ simple logo was chosen by a judging panel of industry experts.

The 19-year-old’s winning purple and platinum-coloured entry features a stylised crown, incorporating the number 70, on a round background similar to a royal seal, and will publicise the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee which will be marked next June by a special, four-day, bank holiday weekend.

Edward Roberts with his winning design (Jacob King/PA) (PA Wire)Celebrations will range from a live concert staged outside Buckingham Palace with some of the world’s biggest stars, to a day at the races for the royal family.

The teenager from Southwell, Nottinghamshire said: “It’s just an amazing feeling to win it, I couldn’t believe I’d won it really. I thought I had achieved something by getting to the top 100 so to even win it – I was over the moon.”

The competition was run by the Victoria & Albert (V&A) museum in conjunction with Buckingham Palace and the Lord Chamberlain Baron Parker, the most senior official in the Queen’s royal household, contacted the student on Thursday to tell him he had won.

Edward, who is studying for a degree in graphic and communication design at the University of Leeds, has a passion for art and design and worked on the emblem in his spare time and made continual improvements.

Stevie Wonder is introduced to the Queen backstage at the Diamond Jubilee Concert (PA Archive)The 19-year-old described his design as “elegant” and speaking about his inspiration added: “I was thinking of ways I could re-create the continuity of the Queen’s reign in the design and I had a eureka moment.

“I thought if I could create a continuous line that incorporates the key features of St Edward’s crown that would be a really good way of representing the continuing reign of the Queen ”

He added: “I wanted the design to also symbolise a royal seal and put it within a circle to give the impression of a royal wax seal and I think that’s come across really effectively in the design.”

The winning design was chosen by a judging panel of graphic designers, visual artists and design professionals, experts from the V&A, the Royal College of Art, the Design Museum, and a representative from the royal household, chaired by V&A director Tristram Hunt.

Edward Roberts’ winning design for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Buckingham Palace

“Drawn on a computer, the ingenious emblem works across all scales and the flow of the line gives us a sense of a human touch behind the digital design process.”

The 19-year-old winner will be invited to attend next year’s Jubilee celebrations, including the live concert.