New monument to Queen Elizabeth to be inaugurated on the occasion of her 100th birthday

A new memorial to the late Queen Elizabeth will be opened to the public on the centenary of her birth in 2026.

The Daily Mirror reported that the sculpture honouring the life and legacy of the late Queen is set to be unveiled in St James's Park, London, to commemorate the centenary of her birth. This announcement comes after plans emerged for a permanent memorial and a national remembrance programme in her honour following her death on September 8, 2022, at the age of 96.

“It is an honour to be asked to chair the Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee,” said Lord Robin Janvrin, the late Queen's former private secretary, who along with the committee worked with the British government and the Royal Household to create the memorial. At the committee's launch in 2023, Janvrin said: “It will be a unique challenge to record for future generations Her late Majesty's extraordinary contribution to our national life during her very long reign.”

The choice of St James's Park as the site of the statue is significant as it is known as the venue for numerous royal ceremonies – from the parade of the British flag and the changing of the guard to coronations and anniversaries. The park is also home to some of Britain's most revered royal and military memorials and, according to the Daily Mirror, Queen Elizabeth's memorial will be located near the statue of Queen Victoria, which stands outside Buckingham Palace on the Mall.

Another deceased royal is honoured with a statue on the Mall: Elizabeth the Queen Mother, whose monument was unveiled in 2009, seven years after her death in 2002. Her statue stands next to a statue of her husband, King George VI, unveiled to the public by his daughter Queen Elizabeth in 1955, three years after his death.

Queen Elizabeth, who became queen after the unexpected death of her father in 1952, reigned for 70 years – a historic event. Former deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden said last year, according to the Daily Mirror: “Queen Elizabeth II was our longest-reigning monarch and greatest public servant.” He added that the memorial committee would “begin the important work of designing a fitting tribute to her legacy of service to our nation and the Commonwealth.”

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Earlier this year, on her 98th birthday on April 21, a statue was unveiled that is said to be the first permanent memorial to the late Queen – a seven-foot-tall bronze statue depicting the monarch as a young woman with corgis at her feet. It was unveiled outside the local library in Oakham in Rutland, England's smallest county, and Dr Sarah Furness, the Lord Lieutenant of Rutland, who commissioned the sculpture after Queen Elizabeth's death, said at the unveiling ceremony: “We are witnessing a piece of history today with the first statue of Queen Elizabeth commissioned since her death, which has given us 70 years of exemplary service,” she said. The Telegraph.

She added: “Rutland may be a small county, but the response has been tremendous. There have been contributions from local businesses and individuals of all sizes.” (About $155,000 was raised to make the project possible.)

The decision to adopt Corgis was a poignant one, as the late Queen was known for her love of this breed of dog and owned many throughout her life. Her last two corgis, Sandy and Muick, were given to her in 2021, a year before her death, by Prince Andrew, Sarah Ferguson and their daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. The two now live with the Duchess of York, and she told PEOPLE about her experience caring for them.

“They are national icons and every time they run after a squirrel I panic,” she said. “But they are a real treat and when they bark for no reason and there is no squirrel in sight I always think the Queen is passing by.”

In addition to the statue planned for St. James's Park, the charity Royal Parks announced on August 6 that planning permission had been granted for a new two-hectare garden in Regent's Park, London, to celebrate her 100th birthday in April 2026.

“Key features of the garden include a circular pond that enhances wildlife habitat, a central promenade with an accessible platform above the pond and a colourful flower garden showcasing species that were of importance to the late Queen,” Royal Parks said in a statement.