Details about the late Queen Elizabeth II’s official memorial have been revealed.
Architects Foster + Partners won the winning bid — beating out four other possible designs — for the upcoming memorial, set to be erected within St James’s Park in central London. The country’s oldest park borders three palaces — Westminster, St. James’s Palace and Buckingham Palace — making it the perfect place to honor the late monarch.
The winning memorial design is set to feature gardens and walking paths along with a bridge inspired by the tiara Elizabeth wore on her wedding day to the late Prince Philip in 1947.
“I knew the queen on formal occasions but also enjoyed her informality when attending events as a member of the Order of Merit,” Norman Foster, one of the winning architects, stated. “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.”
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The 90-year-old designer added, “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.”
The “translucent bridge” will be at the center of the memorial, Foster added, acting as a “unifying” symbol “bringing together nations, countries, the Commonwealth, charities and the armed forces.”
Months before the winning design was announced, the U.K. Times reported that the government had set aside £23 million to £46 million (which converts to roughly $31 million to $62 million) for the construction. The committee behind the project told The Times that “nothing is off the table” when it came to the design.
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The memorial is set to be unveiled in April 2026 on what would have been Elizabeth’s 100th birthday.
The late queen died at age 96 in September 2022 at Balmoral Castle. Prior to her death, she made history as the longest-reigning monarch in British history.
“The death of my beloved mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family,” King Charles III shared in a statement at the time, prior to his coronation. “We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved Mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.”
