An artist's rendering provided by Foster + Partners shows the proposed cast-glass bridge, inspired by the tiara that Queen Elizabeth II wore on her wedding day, in St James's Park in central London. The park is to host monuments celebrating Britain's longest-reigning monarch, with two statues also planned. Photo / Foster + Partners via the New York Times
An artist's rendering provided by Foster + Partners shows the proposed cast-glass bridge, inspired by the tiara that Queen Elizabeth II wore on her wedding day, in St James's Park in central London. The park is to host monuments celebrating Britain's longest-reigning monarch, with two statues also planned. Photo / Foster + Partners via the New York Times
LONDON — A translucent glass bridge representing the tiara that Queen Elizabeth II wore on her wedding day and a pair of statues honouring the British monarch are central features in the design of a memorial to be built in a London park, according to artist renderings released today.
Thememorial, which will aim to celebrate the Queen’s achievements as Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and her marriage to Prince Philip, will also include an audio installation of her voice and inscriptions of quotations by her, according to the plans.
Designing the memorial, which has a projected cost of about US$31 million to US$62m, ($51.5m to $103m) is Foster + Partners, the architectural firm that designed the Millennium Bridge in London, modernised the British Museum’s Great Court and created Apple stores around the world. The concept was chosen from five finalists in an open search that began in December.
A final design is to be announced next April, according to the Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee, which is steering the project, and which chose the winning idea. It was established by the British Government and the royal household in 2023, the year after the Queen’s death at age 96.
The concept “celebrates Queen Elizabeth’s life through a time of great change, balancing tradition and modernity, public duty and private faith, the United Kingdom and a global Commonwealth”, the committee said in a statement.
St James’ Park, which borders Buckingham Palace, the monarchy’s official residence will be the memorial’s home. It has hosted numerous royal public events, including a floral display in the Queen’s honour after her death. The Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Walk also runs through the park and includes a bridge over the central lake.
The bridge for the Queen Elizabeth II memorial will span the same lake and will unite two gardens — the community garden and the Commonwealth garden — a nod to the Queen’s domestic and international work, according to the plans.
An artist's rendering provided by Foster + Partners shows one of the planned statues of Queen Elizabeth II in St James' Park in central London. Photo / Foster + Partners via the New York Times
There are two statues in the memorial design, including one of the Queen on horseback, referencing her love of the animals, and one of the Queen and Philip, who died in 2021 at age 99.
Foster + Partners and the memorial committee will now select a sculptor to work on the statues, whose designs are likely to differ from the artist renderings released today, a government spokesperson said.
St James’ Park is also close to the headquarters of the Commonwealth. Under the Queen’s stewardship, it grew from seven countries, mostly former colonies, to 56 member states and helped maintain Britain’s diplomatic presence around the world.
A “wind sculpture” by Yinka Shonibare, the celebrated British Nigerian artist, is also expected to be featured in the Commonwealth garden.
Elizabeth “was part of our national identity and helped to define our values,” Robin Janvrin, who served as the Queen’s private secretary and now heads the memorial committee, said in a statement explaining the project’s objectives. “She gave us a sense of continuity through times of great change.”
