Giant Royal Heads

As you drive along the B3024 to Windsor you’ll see what you might expect: fields filled with horses, hedgerows, and scattered small houses. Until you turn a corner and drive past two enormous heads bearing a striking resemblance to Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.

The heads are at least 10 feet tall each, a mix of plaster and terracotta with flowing hair made from artificial flowers and grasses. With features such as tennis balls for eyes and brightly colored earrings (in the case of Elizabeth), the regal heads are beautifully rendered and have been alarming drivers passing by since shortly after the Jubilee celebrations.

Local resident Ben Bennett, who owns a waste disposal company, recycled the heads after finding them in Chelsea after the Jubilee celebrations. Their highnesses were headed to a local dump, so Bennett brought them to his Oakley Green garden, less than 5 miles from Windsor Castle, where the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh are now buried.

Bennett doesn’t only collect royal memorabilia—his garden also features a telephone box, a miniature old-fashioned caravan, and various statues, including a Mongol warrior mounted on a horse, decked out with fairy lights. He also has a portable NHS blood testing booth which he plans to turn into a Wendy house for his grandchildren.

Update: The heads went up for sale in March 2024, and are no longer in situ.