Neil Anthony Porteous Simmons, a British sculptor known for his versatility and craftsmanship, died September 19, 2026, aged 73, after a battle with cancer. Over a five-decade career, Simmons created notable works, including the memorial to Diana, Princess of Wales, at Althorp, but he is perhaps best remembered for his statue of Margaret Thatcher, which became a focal point of controversy shortly after its unveiling.
Commissioned in 1998 by the Commons Speaker’s Advisory Committee on Works of Art, Simmons’ eight-foot tall statue of Lady Thatcher was carved from Carrara marble and weighed approximately 1.8 tonnes excluding its plinth. The statue depicted Thatcher with symbolic accessories such as a handbag, a whisky tumbler, and a handkerchief, referencing elements of her public persona and private emotions. The £50,000 commission was funded by an anonymous donor, and Simmons made thirteen trips to Italy over two years to select an appropriate marble slab.
Despite initial hesitance about working with the former prime minister, Simmons found Thatcher to be a cooperative and amiable sitter. The sculptor recalled their conversations covering personal and political topics during her sittings.
The statue’s installation faced significant challenges. Parliamentary regulations prohibited statues or busts of living or recently serving prime ministers from being displayed inside the Palace of Westminster until five years after their death. Following intervention by Tony Banks, a Labour MP who successfully lobbied to reduce the waiting period to three parliamentary terms post-office, the statue still lacked an immediate location. Various options were considered, including the foyer of Portcullis House—with prohibitive costs to reinforce the floor—and the National Portrait Gallery, which declined the piece for its imposing presence. A more unusual offer came from Lake Havasu City, Arizona, which proposed displaying the statue in their city hall for £50,000, an idea that underscored the difficulty in finding a permanent home.
Ultimately, the City of London facilitated the statue’s placement at Guildhall, where Lady Thatcher unveiled it in February 2002 despite recent health setbacks. Her speech acknowledged the statue’s larger-than-life dimensions, reflecting her long tenure in office. Public reaction was mixed, with some critics disparaging the work while others acknowledged its severity as a reflection of Thatcher’s character.
The statue became nationally infamous in July 2002 when it was beheaded by an anti-capitalist protester wielding a cricket bat and a metal stanchion. The attacker cited opposition to Thatcher’s association with capitalism and global issues. He was convicted of criminal damage and sentenced to three months in prison. Though the head was subsequently reattached, the statue never moved to the Commons, where a bronze replacement by Antony Dufort was later installed in 2007. The Simmons statue remains at Guildhall but was relocated in 2015 and is now viewable only by appointment.
Born in Lusaka, then part of Northern Rhodesia, on December 29, 1952, Simmons spent early years in South Africa before attending schools in Surrey, England. His artistic training began at 19, including apprenticeships at Chichester Cathedral and St. Paul’s Cathedral, followed by work with the Department of the Environment. He married Sally Bolt, daughter of playwright Robert Bolt, in 1972; she died in a car accident a decade later. Simmons later married artist Emma de Bendern, with whom he lived in London and later Somerset, where he maintained a studio.
Among his other notable works were restorations of Pietro Francavilla statues at Hampton Court, sculptures for Westminster Abbey’s Great West Door, and a bust of Nigel Farage. His memorial to Princess Diana at Althorp, designed as a Doric-style temple set on an island in the Round Oval lake, remains a significant site of remembrance.
Beyond his sculpting, Simmons contributed to arts education through teaching roles at Chelsea College of Art and Design and City and Guilds of London Art School. He is survived by his wife Emma, their four children, as well as his daughter from his first marriage and a son from another relationship.