Final shortlist revealed for Queen Elizabeth memorial

The government has officially announced the final shortlist of five designs for a national memorial dedicated to Queen Elizabeth II. This memorial will be constructed in St James's Park, a prominent location in central London. Queen Elizabeth II, who was the longest-reigning monarch in British history, passed away in September 2022. The designs for the memorial are now available for public viewing online, and citizens are encouraged to provide their feedback on the proposed concepts. Among the five designs, three feature the late Queen on horseback, which reflects her lifelong passion for equestrian activities. One of the designs depicts the Queen riding a horse surrounded by serene lily pads, while other proposals include innovative ideas such as incorporating recordings of the Queen's voice into the memorial and creating large sculptures of lilies that would frame her figure. Another design suggests using an oak tree to symbolize the strength and resilience that Queen Elizabeth embodied throughout her life. Additionally, there are plans for symbolic pathways and bridges that would cross over the lake in the park. The winning design will be selected later this year, although a specific date for the unveiling of the completed memorial has not yet been announced. The estimated budget for the construction of the memorial ranges from £23 million to £46 million, depending on the chosen design, according to the Cabinet Office. The public will have the opportunity to express their preference for either a more traditional representation of the late Queen or a more experimental approach, as this memorial is set to become an important landmark in London. The new memorial will be situated near existing statues of the late Queen's parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, as well as the memorial to Queen Victoria, which is located outside Buckingham Palace. The chosen site for the memorial will be a section of St James's Park that is close to the Mall and features a bridge over the park's lake. The design entries also include plans to enhance the landscaping and redesign the area, which may involve replacing the current bridge. Furthermore, the memorial project aims to support community initiatives and facilities across the country, following in the footsteps of legacy projects like the King George V Playing Fields, which resulted in the opening of nearly 500 sports grounds in memory of the monarch who passed away in 1936. Many of these playing fields continue to serve communities today. The public is being encouraged to share their thoughts and ideas regarding the memorial and to provide feedback on the shortlisted designs. Baroness Amos, a member of the committee responsible for selecting the design, stated, 'We want public engagement, we want the public to comment on these proposals, because we want them to feel part of it. ' She emphasized that much of what the late Queen represented was about connecting with people and engaging with them. Baroness Amos, who previously served as the leader of the House of Lords, expressed that the memorial should be a fitting tribute to the late Queen, who passed away at the age of 96 after a remarkable seventy-year reign. 'This is about an extraordinary woman and an extraordinary reign, about her commitment to public service, her duty, her commitment to the community, to the nation and the Commonwealth,' she remarked. The five finalist teams responsible for the proposed designs include: Foster + Partners in collaboration with Yinka Shonibare and Michel Desvigne Paysagiste, Heatherwick Studio with Halima Cassell, MRG Studio, Webb Yates and Arup, J&L Gibbons with Michael Levine RDI, William Matthews Associates, Structure Workshop and Arup, Tom Stuart-Smith with Jamie Fobert Architects, Adam Lowe (Factum Arte) and Structure Workshop, and WilkinsonEyre with Lisa Vandy and Fiona Clark, Andy Sturgeon Design, Atelier One and Hilson Moran.