The national memorial to Queen Elizabeth II in London will feature a bronze statue of the monarch inspired by a 1955 portrait by Pietro Annigoni, showing her as a young woman in her Garter robes, according to The Guardian. The memorial is designed by architect Lord Foster and will include a family of gardens, meandering paths, and a new translucent glass unity bridge replacing the current Blue Bridge, The Guardian reported. The new bridge is likely to be called the Queen Elizabeth Bridge, according to The Times.
A smaller statue of Prince Philip in his Naval uniform will be placed 20 metres behind the Queen's statue, looking up at her, The Guardian reported. The Queen's statue will be 7.3 metres high (3-metre figure on a 4.3-metre plinth) in a new civic space called Queen Elizabeth II Place at Marlborough Gate, according to The Times. Prince Philip's statue will be 3.8 metres high (2.3-metre figure on a 1.5-metre plinth), The Guardian reported.
As a champion of the Commonwealth and the arts, particularly through her involvement with the Royal Academy, this project feels especially close to my heart.
The memorial gardens feature plants from across the Commonwealth, according to The Times. The South Garden includes a sculpture by Yinka Shonibare CBE called Commonwealth Wind Sculpture, inspired by Queen Elizabeth II's coronation gown, The Guardian reported. The memorial's location in St James's Park is close to Marlborough House, headquarters of the Commonwealth Secretariat, according to The Times.
Princess Anne officially opened a memorial garden called the Queen Elizabeth II Garden in Regent's Park on April 21, 2026, according to The Guardian. The Queen Elizabeth II Garden is a two-acre site built on a former horticultural nursery and will open to the public on April 27, 2026, The Times reported. The garden was designed with biodiversity in mind, featuring native hedgerows, wildflower meadows and trees, according to The Guardian.
Gardens are important for a number of reasons, in terms of historical perspective.
The UK Government has confirmed a monument commemorating Queen Elizabeth II will be erected in Wales, with capital funding for similar tributes in Scotland and Northern Ireland, according to The Times. The memorial plans were unveiled to coincide with what would have been the late Queen's 100th birthday on April 21, 2026, according to multiple reports.
The final design will be formally announced in April 2026, according to The Guardian. The exact timeline for the completion of the London memorial has not been confirmed, and specific designs for the monuments in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland have not yet been revealed. The cost of the London memorial and its funding sources remain undisclosed.