King Charles III Hails 'Fantastic' Design for Queen Elizabeth II Memorial
On what would have been Queen Elizabeth II's 100th birthday, King Charles III praised the final design for the national memorial dedicated to his late mother as "fantastic." The monarch, accompanied by Queen Camilla, viewed a scale model of the tribute at the British Museum on Tuesday, alongside maquettes depicting the late Queen and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh.
Architectural Inspiration and Royal Approval
King Charles told architect Lord Foster: "It's a wonderful idea for the bridge to be based on the Russian fringe tiara, the one that my mama wore at her wedding." He described the memorial, set to be built in St James's Park in central London, as "fantastic" and commended the plan to incorporate "subtle lighting" at night on the new Queen Elizabeth Bridge, which will replace the current Blue Bridge.
Queen Camilla also expressed admiration for the glass and steel bridge, inspired by the Queen's wedding tiara, also known as the Queen Mary's Fringe Tiara, saying: "I love that bridge. It's just lovely. It has a lovely twinkle." She expressed surprise upon learning from Lord Foster that the bridge will be lifted into place overnight to avoid disturbing park usage, calling the plan "extraordinary."
Sculptural Tributes and Design Details
The King was shown a likeness of his mother in the form of a maquette depicting Elizabeth II as a young woman in her 20s, wearing her Order of the Garter robes. Sculptor Martin Jennings explained that the bronze statue, which will stand seven metres tall on its plinth, will be positioned with the Queen's head "slightly turned to catch the evening light." Charles confirmed this portrayal showed the Queen in the early years of her reign, responding with "yes, absolutely."
The Duchess of Edinburgh, joined by the Duke of Edinburgh and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester at the event, remarked that the statue captured how the late Queen would like to be remembered in her younger days. "It's a lovely statue. It's how she would like to be remembered as a young woman," Sophie said, noting as she examined the maquette: "It's quite high." Jennings revealed it would match the height of the statue of George V outside Westminster Abbey.
A maquette of Prince Philip, around the same age as the Queen's depiction, shows the duke in his naval uniform with his hands behind his back, prompting a chuckle from Charles when Jennings described Philip as a "tall, thin figure." Full-scale versions of these statues will form part of the permanent memorial in the park, close to Buckingham Palace, with completion scheduled for 2028.
Memorial Features and Public Engagement
The memorial area will include a family of gardens with meandering paths, a Commonwealth Wind Sculpture by artist Yinka Shonibare, and a bust of the Queen in her 50s or 60s by sculptor Karen Newman on Birdcage Walk. Jennings later told the Press Association: "The King was seeing the sculptures for the first time and he was taking them in. His response was warm and encouraging."
Lord Foster noted the royal couple's enthusiasm for the project, stating: "Her Majesty and His Majesty were really enthusiastic about the project, and because I've had the privilege of presenting it several times as it's grown and evolved, it's been very much a shared experience." He added that their input on design elements, such as the placement of the late Queen's statue and public spaces, had been respected and incorporated into the final project.
Addressing past differences with the King, Lord Foster said: "I think those have been perhaps exaggerated somewhat in the past. And I think I can say, without being presumptuous, that the core values about history, about tradition, and the importance of those issues, those are totally dominant and totally shared." He expressed hope that visitors to the memorial would "learn about the extraordinary legacy and the values that were embodied," describing the route as "a memorial which is alive."
Event Attendees and Broader Initiatives
The royals were joined at the event by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who greeted the King with a broad smile and a handshake and patted Camilla on her arm. Sir Keir, amid a scandal surrounding Lord Peter Mandelson's appointment as US ambassador, ignored shouted questions from the media about the crisis upon arrival.
Other guests included artist Dame Tracey Emin and broadcaster Claudia Winkleman, trustees of the museum, and the newly appointed official biographer of the late Queen, historian Anna Keay. They gathered in the museum's circular Reading Room to view the scale model of the park, featuring miniature trees, people, and the new additions.
This memorial is one of three projects honouring Queen Elizabeth II's legacy, alongside the launch of a new charity, the Queen Elizabeth Trust, and a Digital Memorial inviting public memories of the monarch at Queenelizabeth.com, also unveiled on Tuesday.
