Special Statue Honoring Queen Elizabeth Revealed as Royal Family Kick Off Centenary Celebrations
Queen Elizabeth II’s memorial designs are out, and the main statue takes an unexpected look back at her early years
Just ahead of what would have been Queen Elizabeth’s 100th birthday this Tuesday, we are finally getting a first look at the permanent memorial planned for her. The designs include statues of the late Queen and her husband, Prince Philip, set to be installed near Buckingham Palace in London.
The national memorial to Queen Elizabeth aims to transform historic St James’s Park into an inspiring new public space where people can gather and connect, relax and reflect.
— Cabinet Office (@cabinetofficeuk) April 20, 2026
1 of 3 memorial projects to honour Queen Elizabeth’s long reign.https://t.co/2R8CcEheD8
1/3 pic.twitter.com/xBGt9b8Ntb
The finished designs will be presented to King Charles III and Queen Camilla on Tuesday during a special viewing at the British Museum. It is part of the ongoing tributes to Elizabeth. “As our longest‑serving monarch, Queen Elizabeth 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,” said Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
According to the final plans, Queen Elizabeth II will be cast in bronze and positioned to look out over The Mall from Marlborough Gate in St James’s Park. A nearby figure of her husband, Prince Philip, is included as a quiet nod to the support he gave her throughout their nearly 74-year marriage. The surrounding park has been designed by Foster + Partners alongside Michel Desvigne Paysagiste. Back in 2024, the government set aside a provisional budget of £23 ($31) million to £46 ($61) million for the project.
There is an unexpected twist in the newly revealed plans for the memorial; it does not show her in the way most people might expect. Instead of her later years, the design dates back to the very start of her reign. She is portrayed as a young monarch in her Garter robes, inspired by Pietro Annigoni’s well-known portrait. Meanwhile, Philip appears at a similar stage in life, in his Admiral of the Fleet uniform. The finer details are still being worked on, but the idea is to capture where their story really began.
Furthermore, the whole space has been designed to feel thoughtful and easy to explore. One standout feature is a cast-glass bridge inspired by Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara that Elizabeth wore on her wedding day. There will also be a bust of the Queen in her later years by Karen Newman, along with an abstract piece called The Commonwealth Wind Sculpture by Yinka Shonibare.
It is all happening alongside the launch of The Queen Elizabeth Digital Memorial, which will bring together moments from the late Queen’s public life. At the same time, a new UK-wide charity, The Queen Elizabeth Trust, has been set up in her honor, with Charles taking on the role of patron. Lord Janvrin, the chair for the Queen Elizabeth Memorial, 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.”
