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The recommendations made by the Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee have been announced today [21 April], including the masterplan for a permanent memorial in St James’s Park, London, 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.
Today [21 April] Their Majesties The King and Queen, other Members of the Royal Family and the Prime Minister will view the designs and other elements of the memorial at an event at the British Museum in London, to coincide with the hundredth anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s birth.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:
As our longest‑serving monarch, Queen Elizabeth II devoted her life to public service. The nation will commemorate her extraordinary reign with a memorial that offers a place of reflection for generations to come.
The 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 features a new standing statue of Queen Elizabeth overlooking The Mall at Marlborough Gate, close to Buckingham Palace. The statue, to be sculpted in bronze by acclaimed sculptor Martin Jennings, will show Her Majesty in an early stage of her reign dressed in the robes of the Order of the Garter, using the famous painting by Pietro Annigoni as an inspiration. Mr Jennings will also sculpt a nearby statue of Prince Philip, the longest-serving consort, at a similar age wearing a uniform of Admiral-of-the-Fleet. His statue will be located close to Queen Elizabeth’s, in recognition of the support he gave her during her 70-year reign. The appearance of both statues will be further refined during the sculpting process.
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. His Majesty The King has accepted the Royal Patronage of the Trust, which will 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’s Chair is Sir Damon Buffini, who currently serves as Chair of the Royal National Theatre and Deputy Chair of the BBC Board.
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 projects of public value and will act as a catalyst for future fundraising.
Today also marks 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 will map the 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. The Memorial Committee is keen for everyone to submit their memories of Elizabeth II and tag them to events and locations on the site. Notable public figures have already provided memories, including Tom Daley, Dame Tracey Emin, Baroness Valerie Amos, and others.
Models of the permanent memorial and details of the 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 24 April to allow people from across the UK to view the details.
Chair of the Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee Lord Janvrin said:
Queen Elizabeth was admired around the world for her quiet leadership through times of great change – driven by her common sense, optimism and strong sense of duty. Our task has been to recommend a memorial capturing her role, her personality and what she meant to so many of us – whilst being of public benefit which was so important to her.
We hope the physical Memorial will enhance a most beautiful space in the heart of our capital for people to meet, relax and reflect, whilst the new Queen Elizabeth Trust aims to benefit local communities in every part of the United Kingdom. The Digital Memorial will allow people across the country, the Commonwealth and beyond to share their memories of the late Queen to build a living archive of her reign for future generations.
Founder and Executive Chairman of Foster + Partners Lord Foster 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.
Interim Chief Executive of the Queen Elizabeth Trust Claire Whitaker CBE said:
I am delighted to be part of the Queen Elizabeth Trust, a charity which aims to make a lasting difference in communities across the UK. Its focus on working hand in hand with people to renew and sustain shared spaces reflects what we’ve heard from local groups across the four nations: that these places work best when they are shaped by and for the communities they serve. I am looking forward to seeing this work come to life over the coming months, and to supporting inclusive, revitalised spaces which bring people together for years to come.
In addition to this Memorial for the whole United Kingdom, the UK Government has allocated funding for memorial projects in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee was established in 2023 to develop plans for the memorial. It has consulted experts in arts, history and heritage and other stakeholders from across the United Kingdom. His Majesty The King has been sighted throughout the process and the Committee’s proposals were approved by the Prime Minister in April 2026.
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