The winning design for a national memorial to honour Queen Elizabeth II has been unveiled, featuring a striking glass bridge inspired by her wedding tiara, new gates, and commemorative gardens in St James’s Park, central London. Designed by renowned British architect Lord Norman Foster and his team, the memorial seeks to capture the life, legacy, and values of Britain’s longest-reigning monarch through a thoughtful blend of tradition and modernity.
Announced as the winner of the design competition, Foster + Partners’ proposal combines multiple elements to create a rich, layered tribute to the late Queen. The design includes a new translucent bridge with a reinforced glass balustrade echoing the shape of the tiara she wore during her 1947 wedding. The bridge will span the lake in St James’s Park, offering both a visual and symbolic connection to the Queen’s personal and public life.
The memorial will also feature newly landscaped gardens celebrating the Commonwealth and communities across the United Kingdom. A separate Prince Philip Gate and statues of the Queen alone and with her late husband, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, will complete the multi-faceted project. One statue is expected to portray the Queen on horseback—an homage to her lifelong love of horse riding.
Lord Foster emphasized the deep symbolic significance of including Prince Philip in the memorial, noting their inseparable bond over their 73-year marriage. “We showed them together and, in a way, there was this inseparable quality which we sought to convey,” he said. Foster, known for iconic projects like the Gherkin and the Reichstag dome, described the opportunity to design this memorial as “an honour and a privilege,” calling it a creative expression of the “values she represented” and the “complexity and richness” of her reign.
Lord Robert Janvrin, chair of the memorial committee and former private secretary to the Queen, praised the winning design for its balance of formal and informal elements. He said the project was intended to help people reflect on an “extraordinary life of service” and a reign that shaped the identity of the nation. “I think the location is something which would have appealed to her,” he added, noting that the bridge will be visible from a room in Buckingham Palace where she was often painted.
While the final cost has yet to be determined, the budget for the memorial is expected to fall between £23 million and £46 million. A sculptor has not yet been appointed, and a completion date has not been announced.
Committee member Baroness Amos praised the design as ambitious, saying it would offer a beautiful space for people to gather and remember the Queen. Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Pat McFadden, called it a “beautiful memorial” to her enduring legacy and public service, one that would give visitors a space to reflect for generations to come.
