Queen Elizabeth II National Memorial announced

The National Memorial to the late Queen Elizabeth II has been announced with touching tributes. 

The recommendations made by the Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee, which include the masterplan for a permanent memorial in London’s St James’s Park, have been announced by the Cabinet Office. Later today, King Charles III and Queen Camilla will be joined by Members of the Royal Family in viewing designs and other elements of the national memorial at the British Museum, coinciding with the centenary of Queen Elizabeth II’s birth.

The recommendations have been announced alongside a new charitable trust for regenerating community assets across the United Kingdom and an online Digital Memorial to allow people to submit their own memories of the late Queen.

A permanent memorial park—designed by Foster + Partners in collaboration with Michel Desvigne Paysagiste—commemorates Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and her lifelong commitment to public service. It is to feature a new standing statue of Queen Elizabeth overlooking The Mall at Marlborough Gate, close to Buckingham Palace. The statue will be sculpted in bronze by acclaimed sculptor Martin Jennings, showing Her Majesty at an early stage of her reign, dressed in the robes of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, inspired by the famous painting by Pietro Annigoni. Jennings is also to sculpt a nearby statue of Prince Philip, the longest-serving royal consort, from the same period, wearing the uniform of Admiral of the Fleet. His statue will be located close to the late Queen’s, in what is to be a recognition of the support he gave her during her 70-year reign.

Lord Foster, Founder and Executive Chairman of Foster + Partners, has said,

The Queen’s reign encompassed periods of significant change—socially and technologically—which she negotiated with incredible composure and stability. The memorial reaches across all ages and interests – and communicates the common values that Her Majesty promoted. With a serene and contemplative atmosphere, there will be opportunities to rediscover – or perhaps for some to discover—the legacy of Her Majesty.

The appearance of both statues will be further refined during the sculpting process. Models of the permanent Memorial as well as details of the newly-announced Queen Elizabeth Trust and the Digital Memorial, will also be displayed at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, the Millennium Centre in Cardiff and Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland on 24th April to allow people from across the United Kingdom to view the details.

A press release from the UK Cabinet Office, in conjunction with The Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee, said:

The permanent memorial will also feature: a new cast-glass bridge inspired by Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara, which was worn by Queen Elizabeth on her wedding day; a bust of Her Majesty in her later years by sculptor Karen Newman; and The Commonwealth Wind Sculpture, a new abstract work by Yinka Shonibare. The design also includes gardens dedicated to the Commonwealth and to the nations of the United Kingdom, creating spaces for relaxation and reflection. The memorial has been developed in consultation with the Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee following a design competition held last year.

A new UK-wide independent charity, The Queen Elizabeth Trust, has also been established on the occasion of the centenary of Queen Elizabeth II’s birth to honour her lifelong commitment to public service. King Charles III has accepted to become the Royal Patron of the Trust, which is to bring the late Queen’s values to life for present and future generations. Inspired by the words “everyone is our neighbour”, shared by Queen Elizabeth in a speech to mark her twenty-first birthday, the Trust will work “hand in hand with communities, providing funding and targeted support to restore and sustain spaces that will thrive long into the future.”

The Trust will support places at the heart of local life, such as community centres and green spaces. To ensure the Trust can have the widest positive impact, the Government is providing a one-off £40 million endowment. This provides the initial funding needed to support local public-value projects and will act as a catalyst for future fundraising.

Today will also see the launch of The Queen Elizabeth Digital Memorial, which will “digitise Court Circular records and bring them to life online alongside materials from museums, archives and the media to create a record of Elizabeth II’s public life.” It is to map key events from her reign and allow people from across the world to contribute their own memories and images of Her late Majesty to this historic record piece. It has been stated that the Memorial Committee is keen for ‘everyone’ to submit their memories of Elizabeth II and tag them at events and locations on the site. Some notable public figures have already provided memories, including Tom Daley, Dame Tracey Emin, Baroness Valerie Amos, and others.

In addition to this memorial for the whole of the United Kingdom, the British Government has allocated funding for memorial projects in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Further announcements regarding the expected memorials will be made in due course.