A £46 million national memorial dedicated to Queen Elizabeth II was unveiled recently in Central London, offering the first glimpse of the planned tribute to the late monarch. The centerpiece of the commemoration is a 24-foot-tall bronze statue of the queen, which was temporarily hoisted into place at the Marlborough Gate entrance to St James’s Park. This initial installation allowed architect Lord Norman Foster to view the layout through a virtual reality headset and envision the completed memorial.

Lord Foster, 91, known for landmarks such as London’s Gherkin, Berlin’s Reichstag renovation, and Apple Park in California, designed the memorial after winning a national competition. The memorial’s design features a series of landscaped spaces linked by a bridge on either side of the park’s lake, creating a contemplative environment in one of the capital’s most historic public parks.

The bronze statue of Elizabeth II, created by sculptor Martin Jennings, depicts the queen in her Garter robes and draws inspiration from the renowned 1955 portrait by Italian artist Pietro Annigoni, which captured her at the age of 28. Positioned a few steps behind the queen’s statue is a 12-foot companion statue of Prince Philip, also sculpted by Jennings, depicting him in naval uniform at a similar age. The placement reflects his supportive and customary role throughout her reign.

Additional elements of the memorial include a bust of the queen by artist Karen Newman, located at Birdcage Walk, and a Commonwealth sculpture by Yinka Shonibare, further acknowledging the queen’s enduring connection to the wider international community. The full memorial complex is expected to be completed by 2028.

King Charles III viewed scale models of the memorial at the British Museum on April 21, which would have been the queen’s 100th birthday. He described the designs as “fantastic” and acknowledged the occasion as an opportunity to celebrate “a life well lived and a legacy of hope.” In a video address marking the centenary, Charles praised his mother as a steadfast figure devoted to her people. He reflected on contemporary challenges, expressing his belief that the queen’s faith in the triumph of goodness and brighter days ahead remained an enduring message for the nation.