When the British government shared guidance earlier this month for those looking to honor Queen Elizabeth II with the use of her name and title on projects across the country, they added in one tantalizing detail: planning will begin “in due course” on the official national monument to Queen Elizabeth II. On Friday, The Telegraph reported that the government is working “hand in hand” with the royal household to form a committee for the national monument, the members of which will be announced by the anniversary of the late queen’s death.
Previous official monuments to a late monarch, like the white marble Queen Victoria Memorial outside of Buckingham Palace, have become popular tourist attractions. Though unofficial monuments to the queen—many of which involved donated Paddington Bear stuffed animals—erupted spontaneously across the nation in the days after her death on September 8, they were quickly cleared after her funeral 10 days later.
The official monument to the previous monarch, King George VI, was unveiled at St. James Park in London in 1955, three years after his death. Funded through a national campaign announced by Winston Churchill, it consists of a sculpture designed by William McMillan which shows the king wearing his naval uniform. In 2009, a statue of the Queen Mother, depicting her in Order of the Garter robes during the years after she was widowed, was added nearby.
In its guidance, the government noted that unofficial monuments to the late queen do not need approval unless they have a commercial component. “Communities, organizations and individuals may wish to mark the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and commemorate her extraordinary reign through the use of her name and title, for example by naming a park, garden or street,” the guidance read. “The full title of Queen Elizabeth II will continue to be closely protected and only be granted for applications with strong royal connections.”
Last November, King Charles III visited York Minster to unveil the first permanent monument to Queen Elizabeth II, a seven-foot limestone statue of the queen wearing her Order of the Garter robes on the exterior of the cathedral. In his speech at the event, Charles noted that the statue was originally planned to honor the queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, which also took place in 2022.
“Now, as we have witnessed, with great sadness, the passing of that reign, it is unveiled in her memory, as a tribute to a life of extraordinary service and devotion,” he added. “The late Queen was always vigilant for the welfare of her people during her life. Now, her image will watch over what will become Queen Elizabeth Square for centuries to come.”