A special ceremony at the Canadian Embassy in Rome has marked the successful recovery of a stolen photo portrait of Winston Churchill, known as “The Roaring Lion,” after a two-year international search by police.

Yousuf Karsh's 'Roaring Lion' portrait of Churchill, stolen in 2022 from Ottawa’s Fairmont Chateau Laurier and recovered in Italy, is unveiled during a ceremony at the Canadian Embassy in Rome, Italy, September 19, 2024. REUTERS/Yara Nardi

The famed black-and-white portrait known as The Roaring Lion should be rehung in the Château Laurier by the end of next month

The theft of an iconic Churchill portrait by Yousuf Karsh went unnoticed for months. But two years later, the police have tracked down the photograph.

Canadian police say a renowned portrait of Winston Churchill that was reported stolen from an Ottawa hotel has been tracked down in Italy.

“Roaring Lion,” the famous portrait of Sir Winston Churchill brazenly snatched from the walls of Ottawa’s Fairmont Château Laurier hotel and replaced with a fake, has been found in Italy, Ottawa police say. The force said Wednesday that investigators would travel to Rome later this month to retrieve the original print and return it to the hotel.

Yousef Karsh's famed portrait of the late British prime minister Winston Churchill — a photo known as The Roaring Lion — will officially be returned to Canadian authorities, including representatives of the federal government,