Queen Elizabeth II memorial to be decided on by public and monarch's 'common sense'

Queen Elizabeth II memorial to be decided on by public and monarch's 'common sense'

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GB News
Hannah Ross

By Hannah Ross


Published: 05/02/2024

- 09:54

A national legacy programme will commemorate the late Queen as Britain’s longest-reigning monarch

A new memorial to Queen Elizabeth II will be decided on through public feedback and the late monarch’s own “relentless common sense.”

The committee tasked with choosing how to commemorate the monarch will meet at Buckingham Palace today.


The late Queen’s former private secretary, Lord Janvrin, will chair the meeting today guided by Elizabeth's “practical approach."

Janvrin also said that the memorial must appeal to both the young and old and make “good use” of taxpayer’s money.

Queen Elizabeth II

A new memorial will commemorate the late Queen Elizabeth's over 70-year reign

Getty

He said: “The committee will be very alive to the current economic situation and very aware that, in moving forward with this project, we need to take that into account.”

The Daily Telegraph reported that the public would be “invited” to have its say on how best to commemorate the late monarch “through feedback rather than a vote.”

Janvrin said: “I think there is widespread support for some kind of memorial and I think it’s our duty to try and match that expectation by being very clear about good use of public money.”

The 77-year-old revealed that the memorial also needs to appeal to future generations stating: “We need to have produced some kind of memorial that will engage people in the future. Somehow, we’ve got to mix tradition with modernity.

Queen Elizabeth II

The national legacy programme will be announced in 2026- the late Queen's 100th birthday year

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“And we have in both the structure - the monument – and the legacy, quite a canvas to try and engage younger people and the whole nation.”

The memorial and the national legacy programme will be announced in 2026 which would have been the late Queen’s 100th birthday year.

Alongside the public, the committee will take advice from the King, other members of the Royal Family, the Prime Minister and experts in relevant fields from across the UK.

The King is reported to have taken a “very close interest” in the project dedicated to remembering his mother - Britain’s longest reigning monarch.

Charles and Queen Elizabeth

The King will take a close interest in the memorial for his late mother

Getty

Queen Elizabeth II

The committee for the memorial will meet today at Buckingham Palace for the first time

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The committee will also speak with the Prime Minister and experts in relevant fields across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to ensure there is a nationwide consensus.

Lord Janvrin, who worked with the Queen for 20 years, talked about the significance of her reign stating: “I think it would represent the feelings that were so evident at the time of her funeral if we had a significant national memorial to her memory, both in terms of the monument and a legacy programme.

"There was a real sense in those days after her death of just how important she had been and the contribution that she made to the life of the nation.”

The Government will support proposals for the memorial but will also look into other funding options as the plans proceed.

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