Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee has unveiled an ambitious plan to honour Queen Elizabeth II’s life and service with a permanent memorial in London, a national charitable project, and a digital archive accessible to the public throughout the United Kingdom and abroad.

The King and Queen, members of the Royal Family, and Prime Minister, Keir Starmer will all attend an event at the British Museum in London to launch the plan. This also coincides with the centennial of Queen Elizabeth II’s birth, marking a watershed moment in national commemoration of her reign.

According to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, this effort is aimed at honouring the late Queen Elizabeth II.

“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.”
Keir Starmer

A permanent memorial park in St. James’s Park, created by Foster + Partners in association with Michel Desvigne Paysagiste, is at the heart of the plans. A brand-new standing statue of Queen Elizabeth II overlooking The Mall at Marlborough Gate, close to Buckingham Palace, will be part of the renovation. Inspired by the famous photograph by Pietro Annigoni, Martin Jennings’ bronze sculpture will show the late monarch in the early years of her reign donning the Order of the Garter’s robes.

The same sculptor will also erect a second statue of Prince Philip close by. It will show him in the Admiral-of-the-Fleet uniform at a comparable age, signifying his extensive support and duty throughout the Queen’s 70-year reign.

The memorial park will also include a range of symbolic and artistic features designed to reflect different aspects of the Queen’s life and legacy. These include a cast-glass bridge inspired by Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara, which Queen Elizabeth wore on her wedding day, as well as a later-life bust of the Queen by Karen Newman and an abstract installation titled “The Commonwealth Wind Sculpture” by Yinka Shonibare.

Alongside the physical memorial, a new UK-wide independent charity, The Queen Elizabeth Trust, has been established to continue the late Queen’s commitment to public service. The Trust will focus on restoring and supporting community spaces across the country, with particular attention to local centres and green areas that play a key role in public life.

To support its early work, the Government has provided a one-off £40 million endowment, intended to act as a foundation for long-term investment and future fundraising. His Majesty The King has accepted the role of Royal Patron of the Trust, which will be chaired by Sir Damon Buffini.

Digital Memorial and National Rollout to Preserve Queen’s Legacy

A bronze statue of the Queen in her 20s, dressed in the robes of the Order of the Garter

Another major element of the commemorations is the launch of The Queen Elizabeth Digital Memorial, an online platform designed to preserve and share the life and public service of Queen Elizabeth II in a fully accessible format.

The project will digitise Court Circular records and combine them with archival material from museums, media organisations, and public submissions. It will map key events across the Queen’s reign, creating an interactive historical record that allows people from around the world to contribute personal memories, photographs, and reflections of her life and leadership.

In order to create a living archive of the Queen’s legacy for future generations, the Memorial Committee has promoted public involvement in the project. Public individuals including Baroness Valerie Amos, Dame Tracey Emin, and Tom Daley have already contributed..

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, “ adding, “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.”

Lord Foster, Founder and Executive Chairman of Foster + Partners, also stated that the Queen’s reign was marked by enormous change, both socially and technologically, which she handled with remarkable poise 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.”
Lord Foster

In order to make the plans available across the United Kingdom, the national rollout, models of the memorial, and information about the Trust and Digital Memorial will be displayed on April 24 in Edinburgh, Cardiff, and Northern Ireland.