The UK government has launched a competition calling on artists, architects, and engineers to submit their designs for a memorial to honor the late Queen Elizabeth II.
The proposed monument, which will be located in St James’s Park—one of London’s oldest and most iconic Royal parks—will serve as a lasting tribute to the country’s longest-reigning monarch.
The memorial will be situated near Buckingham Palace, adding to the rich historical and constitutional significance of the area.
This two-stage competition, which began earlier this month, will close on January 20. Afterward, a shortlist of five finalists will embark on a ten-week design phase, with the winning design to be unveiled next summer.
The Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee, led by Sandy Nairne, former director of the National Portrait Gallery, and historian Anna Keay, will oversee the selection process.
The memorial, which will be funded by the public, carries a provisional construction budget of between £23 million and £46 million, excluding VAT.
A government statement emphasized the importance of designing a monument that is “beautiful, inclusive, and sustainable,” while also respecting the “exceptional international, constitutional, and historic significance” of the location, which is home to several major royal memorials.
One of the key objectives of the memorial is to tell the story of Queen Elizabeth II’s long and impactful reign, encapsulating her legacy as one of the most respected monarchs in history.
The government’s call for inclusivity in the design has sparked some debate, particularly with activist Dia Chakravarty questioning the need for further clarification on what “inclusive” means in this context for a public memorial.
“How can a memorial, which is to be located in a park open to the public, not be inclusive by definition?” Chakravarty wrote in The Telegraph.
As part of the design brief, a standalone figurative representation of the Queen will be placed at the Marlborough Gate entrance on The Mall.
The artist or sculptor for this element will be appointed after the competition’s conclusion, as part of the overall monument design.
In addition to St James’s Park, discussions had previously centered around the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square as a potential location for a statue commemorating Queen Elizabeth II’s legacy.
However, the final decision to place the memorial in St James’s Park reflects the site’s prominence and symbolic connection to the monarchy.
