Gatekeeper Butterfly/ also Hedge Brown Pyronia tithonus

Gatekeeper Butterfly
Gatekeeper Butterfly male
Gatekeeper Butterfly side
The Gatekeeper butterfly (also called Hedge Brown) is orange with a brown border and black eyespots; the male (above) has two brown "scent marks" crossing the forewing.
Gatekeeper Butterfly female
Gatekeeper Butterfly female
Gatekeeper Butterfly side
The female Gatekeeper (above) doesn't have the brown scent marks on the forewing and has a lighter underside.
Gatekeeper Butterfly Female
Gatekeeper Butterfly male Male
Gatekeeper Butterfly side Male
Both male and female can look similar to a Meadow Brown from above, but, unlike the Meadow Brown, the Gatekeeper almost always has two white "pupils" in the eyespot. From the side, if it has spots on the lower wing, they are always white (and the Meadow Brown always black spots).
Gatekeeper
Gatekeeper
However, rarely, some Gatekeepers have only one visible white "pupil" in one or both of their eyespots.
Gatekeeper eyes
The face.
Gatekeeper Butterflies The male is smaller and darker than the female.
Gatekeeper Butterflies Female left, male right.
Gatekeeper Butterflies
Gatekeeper Butterflies coupled Coupled
Gatekeeper Butterflies Size comparison with sloe
Gatekeeper Butterflies coupled The pair above were flying while attached, before landing on the thistle.

Gatekeepers above were all photographed in Northwest London: Totteridge Fields, Stoneyfield and in my garden.