Queen Elizabeth II Monument in London: designed by Norman Foster
British architect Norman Foster has won the competition to build the national monument to Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, which will include the statue of her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, the commemorative committee announced Tuesday.
The monument proposed by Foster's team will be multifaceted and will be built in central London's St. James's Park , near Buckingham Palace, the royal family's residence.
According to the winning project, there will be a main statue of the monarch riding a horse and a separate one next to her with Prince Philip, while another key element is a bridge inspired by the shape of the late Queen's wedding tiara, who died on September 8, 2022, one year after her husband's death.
The memorial, which will be surrounded by gardens, is a balance of "traditional and modern elements, both informal and formal," Robert Janvrin , chairman of the memorial committee and former private secretary to Elizabeth II , told the BBC.
Janvrin stressed that she hopes the way Britain's longest reign will be honored will help people " reflect on an extraordinary life , someone who for a very long reign was part of how this nation saw itself , how we changed and evolved."
He thought the Queen would have liked the choice of St. James's Park , because it can be seen from the palace.
For her part, Foster noted that her team proposed the inclusion of Prince Philip because it was "an inseparable quality we sought to convey," adding that it was an honor and a privilege for her team to carry out this project.
Initiative"At the heart of our masterplan is a translucent bridge that symbolizes Her Majesty as a unifying force , uniting nations, countries, the Commonwealth (former colonies), charities, and the armed forces," he added.
- The memorial committee has not set a completion date for the monument, which is estimated to cost between £23 million and £ 46 million (€26.9 million and €53.8 million).
Elizabeth II , who reigned from 1952 to 2022 , married Prince Philip in November 1947 at Westminster Abbey. This union produced four children : Charles, Anne, Andrew, and Edward.
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