Campaigners have criticised the decision to ditch a grand equestrian sculpture of Queen Elizabeth II for a ‘boring’ standing figure that ‘looks nothing like her’.
Previous artist’s impressions of the new national memorial showed a large statue of the late monarch bestriding a horse on top of an imposing stone plinth.
But the latest design, unveiled today to mark the 100th anniversary of the Queen’s birth, shows a simpler bronze likeness of her as a young woman in her Garter robes.
The monument to the former head of state will stand in St James’s Park overlooking The Mall in a new space called Queen Elizabeth II Place.
The King has praised the final design as ‘fantastic’, but social media users were less positive, insisting the beloved British icon ‘deserves better’.
They were echoed by Stephen Bayley, Chairman of the Royal Fine Art Commission Trust, who urged a rethink.
‘The Queen on horseback was what was originally proposed and what we all thought we were going to get,’ he told the Daily Mail.
‘It gives the Queen the heroic appearance we associate with her in The Mall, leading her troops on horseback, which she did for thirty-four years.
‘It is right for our main processional route and it fits the memories we have of her in this setting.’
Previous artist’s impressions for a new national memorial to the late monarch showed a large statue of the Queen bestriding a horse on top of an imposing stone plinth
The latest design, unveiled yesterday to mark the 100th anniversary of her birth, shows a simpler bronze sculpture of the Queen as a young woman in her Garter robes
Unveiled today to mark what would have been her 100th birthday, the monument will stand in St James’s Park overlooking The Mall in a new space called Queen Elizabeth II Place
The bronze statue of the Queen will be accompanied by a smaller statue of Prince Philip in his Naval uniform, looking up at his wife of more than 70 years.
It has been designed by sculptor Martin Jennings and is inspired by a famous portrait of Elizabeth by Italian artist Pietro Annigoni in 1955.
But Mr Bayley believes an equestrian statue would have been more fitting.
‘The fact is that we have huge difficulty these days producing convincing standing figures. They are often stilted like President Reagan in Grosvenor Square or end up comical like Lloyd George in Parliament Square. The effect is ignominious.
‘We do however have impressive equestrian sculptors. They could produce something elegant, monumental, majestic – all the things we need here, otherwise what’s the point?’
Social media users were similarly scathing, with one accusing officials of opting for a ‘smaller, cheaper’ option.
A second, Stefan Roberts, wrote on X: ‘I wish they’d stuck to the original plan of the late Queen mounted on a horse. I think that was much nicer than this.’
A third critic claimed the work ‘it looks nothing like our beautiful late Queen Elizabeth II’.
The statue captures the young monarch, just a few years into her reign, minus a tiara but draped in her weighty Garter robes, composed and gazing into the distance.
King Charles and Queen Camilla viewing a maquette of the state today at the British Museum
A companion statue of Prince Phillip will also be erected just a few metres from the late Queen’s monument
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Philip will be represented at a similar age, wearing his Admiral-of-the-Fleet uniform. The figure of Philip, in his uniform, shows the duke standing as he often did with both arms behind his back.
Officials have pointed out that the appearance of both statues will be further refined during the sculpting process.
Charles and Camilla viewed a scale model of the tribute at the British Museum today.
Grade II listed Marlborough Gate will be dismantled and re-erected in ‘modified form’ to make way for the statues.
A glass unity bridge, inspired by the late Queen’s wedding tiara, will replace the current Blue Bridge.
There will also be a memorial path and a bronze wind sculpture in honour of the Commonwealth.
The King told architect Lord Foster: ‘It’s a wonderful idea for the bridge to be based on the Russian fringe tiara, the one that my mama wore at her wedding’.
He described the memorial, set for St James’s Park in central London, as ‘fantastic’ and praised the idea to add ‘subtle lighting’ at night to the new Queen Elizabeth Bridge, which will replace the current Blue Bridge.
The figure of Philip, in his uniform, shows the duke standing as he often did with both arms behind his back
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were married for 73 years until his death in 2021
Camilla also remarked on the glass and steel bridge, inspired by the Queen’s wedding tiara also known as the Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara, saying: ‘I love that bridge. It’s just lovely. It has a lovely twinkle.’
Sculptor Martin Jennings told him the bronze statue, which on its plinth will eventually stand seven metres tall, will be positioned with the Queen’s head ‘slightly turned to catch the evening light’.
Charles was told the figure showed the Queen in the early years of her reign, with the King saying ‘yes, absolutely’.
The Duchess of Edinburgh, who was joined by the Duke of Edinburgh and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester at the event, declared it was how the late Queen would like to be remembered in her younger days.
‘It’s a lovely statue. It’s how she would like to be remembered as a young woman,’ Sophie said.
She added as she examined the maquette on its plinth: ‘It’s quite high.’
Speaking after the family’s visit to examine the designs, Mr Jennings said: ‘The King was seeing the sculptures for the first time, so he was taking them in, but his response was warm and encouraging.’
Lord Foster, who knew the late Queen through his membership of the Order of Merit, described working on the project as ‘humbling’ and ‘a tremendous privilege.’
‘The memorial is about her values, about her legacy, and it’s also in many ways about her love of history and tradition,’ he said.
‘The King has been beyond supportive. He’s contributed to the project in the many discussions and exchanges.
‘So I think it’s been a very creative process, and it continues to be so in a way, many different voices have been heard along the way and have contributed to the evolution of the design, but it is unmistakably the same original competition design.’
Explaining how the original plan to depict the late Queen on horseback has changed to feature her standing, Lord Foster said: ‘Like any competition, the competition design, is really a starting point.
‘And so it’s absolutely normal that as you hear the different voices, the preferences, that those become embodied in the design as a democracy.
He said of the royal visitors: ‘Her Majesty and His Majesty were really enthusiastic about the project, and because I’ve had the privilege of presenting it several times as it’s grown and evolved…it’s been very much a shared experience.’
Asked about historic differences of opinion with King Charles on the subject of architecture, Lord Foster replied: ‘I think those have been perhaps exaggerated somewhat in the past.
‘And I think I can say without being presumptuous, that the core values about history, about tradition, and the importance of those issues, those are totally dominant and totally shared.’
The memorial is expected to be completed in 2028.
