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Back in June 2025 the government revealed which architects had been chosen to design the incoming Queen Elizabeth II memorial, commemorating the late monarch who died in 2022.
Celebrated architects Foster + Partners, the people behind the Gherkin and the Reichstag in Berlin, were selected to build the monument in St James’s Park, working alongside heritage specialists Purcell, French landscaper Michel Desvigne and post-colonial artist Yinka Shonibare.
Now, detailed plans for the project, which will cost £46 million, have been approved by Westminster City Council.
A statue of the late Queen will be placed at the Marlborough Gate, the entrance to the park, alongside a separate statue of Prince Phillip, who died in 2021. The Blue Bridge, which crosses the park’s central lake, is set to be replaced by a translucent glass crossing, inspired by the tiara worn by the late Queen on her wedding day. Plus, at the Birdcage Entrance to the park a bust of Queen Elizabeth II designed by Karen Newman will be installed.
A memorial path and bronze wind sculpture have also been given the green light. Designed by Yinka Shonibare, they have been commissioned in honour of the Commonwealth, and will be decorated with flowers and plants sourced from each of the 56 member countries.
Local authorities have also approved plans for a memorial path through UK and Commonwealth Gardens designed by Michel Desvigne, featuring a children's ‘discovery trail’ and ‘storytelling elements’ for young people, according to the BBC.
To make way for the commemorative statues, two of the park’s historic features will be moved. First up, the Marlborough Gate, a Grade II-listed object, will have to be dismantled and shifted further south in the park, where it will be rebuilt ‘in modified form’. Drinking fountain The Boy, which also has Grade II status, will be moved to the western end of the park closer to Buckingham Palace and the children’s playground.
Not everyone is happy about the changes. One local neighbourhood group criticised the plans for fundamentally changing the park’s layout and splitting it into zones. Westminster Society, which consults on local planning matters, also said it ‘cannot support’ the scheme, claiming the glass bridge could be dangerous.
A Westminster City Council report even admitted that the project would cause harm to the park, reducing its number of trees and rearranging its existing landmarks. But the planning permission has been granted, with the authorities claiming that the public benefit of the memorial ‘fully outweighed’ the negative impact. A timeline detailing when we can expect the memorial to be built is yet to be announced.
Did you see that south London’s beloved Horniman Museum will unveil new garden attractions next month?
Plus: plans have been approved for a cool new bridge in southeast London.
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