Originally to be released in March 1977, while the Sex Pistols were signed to A&M records, the original God Save The Queen single didn't have a special cover graphic. Reid, however, created hundreds of different images around Cecil Beaton's (1904-1980) photographic portrait of the Queen for promotional use. The single was never released by A&M, but eventually released on Virgin Records in May 1977, during the week of the Queen's Silver Jubilee. This was one of the artworks was used in the promotional campaign, and features lyrics from the song daubed around the edge of the portrait.

Jamie Reid's cut-and-paste aesthetic developed from his interest in radical politics. His artistic style developed while at art college in Croydon, where he was influenced by the ideas of the avant-garde political group, the Situationist International. The political slant to his art was aroused by the May 1968 Paris student riots, which inspired fraternal protests organised by Reid at the Croydon College of Art. These were directed with fellow student Malcolm McLaren, who would later become the manager of the Sex Pistols.