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Plans for the official U.K. memorial to the late Queen Elizabeth have been unveilled
The design, which will transform St James’ park in central London features a statue of the late monarch on horseback as well as a bridge to symbolize her “unifying force”
Norman Foster, the designer behind the plans described being awarded the project as an “honor”
The official U.K. memorial to the late Queen Elizabeth has been chosen.
The ambitious design features a statue of the Queen on a horse and a bridge based on the pattern of one of her glittering tiaras. The plans intend to highlight her “life of service,” balancing “strong values, common sense and optimism through her long reign.”
The winning bid came from Foster + Partners, headed by Norman Foster, whose design beat four other shortlisted projects to win the right to move ahead. Subject to amendments that might happen during the planning process, the idea sees a Prince Philip Gate, and a statue of the Queen and Philip at St. James’s Park beginning about 100 yards from the gates of Buckingham Palace and running along the Mall towards Trafalgar Square in central London.
Foster + Partners
Plans for the proposed Queen Elizabeth II Memorial
Crossing the lake in the heart of the park will be the bridge that is set to be remodelled to look like the tiara the late Queen wore on her 1947 wedding day to Philip. The final design, which will also feature a “family of gardens and meandering paths,” will be confirmed and revealed at what would have been Elizabeth’s birthday in April 2026.
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Foster + Partners
Plans for the proposed Queen Elizabeth II Memorial
Lord Janvrin, chair of the committee which led the search for the winning design, served as the late Queen’s private secretary — her most senior aide — from 1999 to 2007.
In a statement, he said all five entrants were of the “highest quality.” Of the winning design, he said Foster + Partners’ “ambitious and thoughtful masterplan will allow us and future generations to appreciate Queen Elizabeth’s life of service [balancing] continuity and change with strong values, common sense and optimism throughout her long reign.”
Winning designer Norman Foster, 90, said in a statement, “I knew The Queen on formal occasions but also enjoyed her informality when attending events as a member of the Order of Merit. We have sought to reflect these qualities of the formal and informal in our design, with an appeal across a wide range of ages and interests.”
“To these ends, we have discreetly stretched the boundaries of art and technology with a deliberately gentle intervention. Our design will have the minimum impact on the nature and biodiversity of the Park, and it will be phased to ensure that the precious route across it will never be closed.”
“At the heart of our masterplan is a translucent bridge symbolic of Her Majesty as a unifying force, bringing together nations, countries, the Commonwealth, charities, and the armed forces.”
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AFP via Getty
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip on their wedding day, November 1947
Foster was once among a group of architects that accused King Charles of using his “privileged position” to “skew the course” of the Chelsea barracks development, per The Guardian. As the design was unveiled, Foster was asked about the controversy that saw him and others write an open letter criticizing the then-Prince of Wales for his intervention in 2009.
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According to The Independent, Foster insisted that “any minor differences in the past about debates or whatever, I mean, that really is the past, and in the big picture is absolutely insignificant.” He also described being awarded the memorial project as an “honor,” per The Guardian.
Queen Elizabeth II, one of the most iconic figures of both the 20th and 21st centuries, died at the age of 96 on September 8, 2022. She was 96.
“The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon,” Buckingham Palace announced in an official statement.
She was immediately succeeded by her eldest son, Charles, 76. Charles’ firstborn son, Prince William, 43, is now next in line to the world’s most famous throne, followed by his firstborn son, Prince George, 11. Her death followed her husband of 73 years, Prince Philip, who died at age 99 in April 2021.
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