First look at the Queen Elizabeth II Memorial to be built in London

June 24, 2025

The government has revealed the winning concept design for the national memorial to Queen Elizabeth II, which will be built in St James’ Park in London.

A proposal for the memorial by Foster + Partners was selected as the winner from a shortlist of five concepts, giving an early look at what the memorial might look like.

The design concept proposed by Foster + Partners features several sculptures of the late Queen and a new Prince Philip Gate. The memorial will also include garden spaces dedicated to the Commonwealth and communities of the United Kingdom.

The existing Blue Bridge in St James’ Park will also be replaced with a new bridge featuring a cast-glass balustrade redolent of Queen Elizabeth’s wedding tiara.

The memorial will include an area of the park adjacent to The Mall at Marlborough Gate and an area adjacent to Bird Cage Walk, and the new bridge will replace the existing bridge between the two areas.

This proposal was selected by the Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee due to its balance of formal and informal elements, along with its use of space and sensitivity to the memorial’s location.

Founder and Executive Chairman of Foster + Partners Norman Foster said it was an honour for his team to be awarded this project.

“I knew The Queen on formal occasions but also enjoyed her informality when attending events as a member of the Order of Merit. We have sought to reflect these qualities of the formal and informal in our design, with an appeal across a wide range of ages and interests,” Foster said.

“To these ends, we have discreetly stretched the boundaries of art and technology with a deliberately gentle intervention. Our design will have the minimum impact on the nature and biodiversity of the Park and it will be phased to ensure that the precious route across it will never be closed.”

It is important to note that this initial proposal is a design concept and will be subject to change as it undergoes refining.

The final design will be formally announced in April 2026, to coincide with what would have been Queen Elizabeth’s one-hundredth birthday year.