It appears that a famous picture of Sir Winston Churchill has been stolen from the Chateau Laurier Hotel in Ottawa and replaced with a copy.

Churchill's photo, taken by Canadian photographer Yousuf Karsh in December 1941 on Parliament Hill, is among the most famous photographs ever taken of the British Prime Minister.

Genevieve Duma, General Manager of Chateau Laurier, said in a press statement: "We feel deeply saddened by this brazen act, the hotel is very proud to house this amazing Karsh collection, which was securely installed in 1998."

For the record, the picture of Churchill, known as "The Roaring Lion," was taken after the British Prime Minister at the time gave a World War II speech in front of the Canadian Parliament. The photo is known for Churchill's stern expression and stance, which many considered a reflection of Britain's wartime feelings at that time – taking a stand against the Nazi threat.

During the weekend, hotel officials noticed that the picture was not properly hung, then discovered that the frame of the picture did not match the other Karsh frames hanging in the hotel's reading room. The hotel said in a statement, "After further investigation, Winston Churchill's picture was replaced with a non-original copy," and as a precautionary measure, the remaining pictures were removed so they could be properly secured."

Ottawa Police said they received a complaint about the theft of the picture on Saturday, adding in a statement, "The Ottawa Police Service received a complaint on August 20 regarding the theft of an original Winston Churchill picture," adding that they have opened an investigation.