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The British royal family has commemorated what would have been Queen Elizabeth II’s 100th birthday by announcing ambitious plans for a new charity and memorial located in the heart of London.
In a series of events held on Tuesday, senior royals paid tribute to Britain’s longest-serving monarch, who passed away nearly four years ago at the age of 96. The homage was both a reflection on her legacy and a celebration of her enduring impact.
King Charles III, alongside Queen Camilla, visited the British Museum in London for a first look at the models of the proposed memorial. Meanwhile, Princess Anne had the honor of officially inaugurating the Queen Elizabeth II Garden nestled in Regent’s Park.
In a heartfelt personal message, King Charles III remarked, “Her near century was one of remarkable change, and yet, through each passing decade, through every transformation, she remained constant, steadfast, and wholly devoted to the people she served.”
The models exhibited at the British Museum revealed how the upcoming memorial is set to transform London’s St. James’s Park, offering a fitting tribute to a monarch whose reign was marked by constancy amid change.
It will feature a translucent glass “unity” bridge evoking the tiara she wore on her wedding day, as well as statues of Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Philip.
The statue of Elizabeth will be wrought from bronze by sculptor Martin Jennings, taking inspiration from the famous Pietro Annigoni portrait depicting the queen clothed in the robes of the Order of the Garter and looking into the distance, the United Kingdom’s Cabinet Office announced Monday.
As well as the planned memorial in St. James’s Park, digital memorial containing archival material of Elizabeth’s reign was launched on Tuesday.
People around the world will be able to reflect on their own memories of the late queen and “tag them to events and locations on the site,” the Cabinet Office said.
A new charity named the Queen Elizabeth Trust, kickstarted by a one-off £40 million ($75.5 million) endowment, will also continue the late queen’s legacy, providing funding for “places at the heart of local life such as community centres and green spaces,” the Cabinet Office said.
Later on Tuesday, Charles and Camilla invited representatives from charities that Elizabeth championed as well as people celebrating their own 100th birthday to Buckingham Palace.
They were joined by the Prince and Princess of Wales and other senior royals too.
Commemorative stamps and coins have also been released, and Buckingham Palace is hosting a months-long exhibition featuring the largest public display of Elizabeth’s fashion.
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