National memorial to Elizabeth II is inspired by her wedding tiara

Telegraph

4 hours ago

The national memorial to Elizabeth II will be designed by Lord Foster and feature a bridge inspired by the late Queen's wedding tiara.
Lord Foster, the leading architect who once accused the King of using his 'privileged position' to intervene in a planning process, beat stiff competition to win the bid to transform St James's Park in tribute to the nation's longest-reigning monarch.
His 'ambitious and thoughtful masterplan' includes a bridge reminiscent of the Queen Mary Fringe diamond tiara, a priceless headpiece that was of great sentimental value to the Queen, having been worn on her wedding day in 1947.
It also involves a sculpture of the late monarch on horseback, interactive storytelling using the Queen's voice and a large gold 'wind sculpture'.
A statue of the 'inseparable' Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh side by side will be positioned near Birdcage Walk, at the newly named Prince Philip Gate.
The Cabinet Office announced on Tuesday that Foster + Partners had won the competition to design the memorial after a shortlist of five was put up for public consultation.
The feedback was considered by the Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee, led by Lord Janvrin, the late Queen's former private secretary, before it made its decision.
Lord Foster said it was an honour to be awarded the project, adding that the bridge was symbolic of the Queen as a 'unifying force'.
He described his design as a 'very light touch' that aimed to capture both the formal and informal qualities of the late Queen.
'Her Majesty loved history and tradition, so this is reflected in the inspiration of the original design of St James's Park by Sir John Nash,' he said.
'Some of his principles have survived, whilst others have been lost and will be restored, creating a family of gardens joined by gently meandering paths.'
Lord Foster, who was appointed to the Order of Merit by the late Queen in 1997, said the translucent bridge was symbolic of the late monarch 'as a unifying force, bringing together nations, countries, the Commonwealth, charities and the Armed Forces '.
The Queen Mary Fringe tiara features 47 bars of diamonds. Its antique metal frame famously snapped on the morning of the Queen's wedding and had to be rushed to the jeweller Garrard to be fixed.
The late Queen loaned the tiara to her granddaughter, Princess Beatrice, for her own wedding in 2020.
Lord Foster was among several leading architects who joined forces to give the then Prince Charles a public dressing down in 2009. They claimed he had used his royal connections to try to stop a development of glass and steel housing blocks by Richard Rogers on the site of the former Chelsea Barracks in west London.
In a letter published in a national newspaper, the group said: 'It is essential in a modern democracy that private comments and behind-the-scenes lobbying by the Prince should not be used to skew the course of an open and democratic planning process that is under way.'
But Lord Foster said on Monday he and King Charles were 'totally aligned'.
He added: 'First of all, this is a memorial to the legacy of Her Majesty and, big picture, the concerns of King Charles and anybody, myself included, who has a concern for the environment, we're all totally aligned.
'And any minor differences in the past about debates or whatever, I mean, that really is the past, and in the big picture is absolutely insignificant.'
The Cabinet Office hailed the winning design for celebrating the late Queen's life through a time of great change, 'balancing tradition and modernity, public duty and private faith, the United Kingdom and a global Commonwealth'.
It said: 'The design concept illustrates how she brought these dualities together: two gates, two gardens, joined by a bridge and unifying path.'
The new 'unity bridge' will replace the existing Blue Bridge and will feature a cast-glass balustrade, illuminated at night.
The contemporary 'wind sculpture', designed by the artist Yinka Shonibare, will be adorned with symbols representative of the late Queen's reign and positioned in a space earmarked for reflection and shared experience.
The sculpture and the path's paving were designed to reflect the late Queen's love of flowers and are said to be reminiscent of her Coronation dress.
Foster + Partners will now develop its initial concept in partnership with the memorial committee and will select a sculptor to design its figurative element.
Lord Janvrin said: 'Selecting the winner was no easy task. All five of the shortlisted teams produced creative designs of the highest quality.
'Foster + Partners' ambitious and thoughtful masterplan will allow us and future generations to appreciate Queen Elizabeth's life of service as she balanced continuity and change with strong values, common sense and optimism throughout her long reign.'