The designs for the first Great Seal of Elizabeth's reign were prepared by the sculptor Gilbert Ledward RA who was responsible for a number of war monuments including the Guards' Division Memorial at Horse Guards Parade. He also prepared more decorative sculptures such as the Venus Fountain in Sloane Square and the bronze statues of St Nicholas and St Christopher located at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children.

An equestrian portrait of the Queen in the uniform of Colonel-in-Chief, Grenadier Guards, appears on the obverse with the Royal Cypher beneath the body of the horse. The inscription reflects the changes made to the Royal Style and Titles at the beginning of the reign to recognise the establishment of the Republic of Ireland in 1949 and also to include a reference to the sovereign as Head of the Commonwealth with the words CONSORTIONIS POPULORUM PRINCEPS. On the reverse the Queen is seated on a throne, the back of which displays the motto of the Order of the Garter.

The figure on horseback was used for the obverse because the enthroned portrait encroached upon a considerable portion of the rim leaving insufficient space for the inscription. An adapted version of the equestrian portrait was prepared by Ledward for the obverse of the commemorative crown issued in 1953 to celebrate the Queen's Coronation that year.