An online gallery has been unveiled showcasing the five finalist design teams competing in a prestigious open competition to create the Queen Elizabeth II National Memorial honouring the life and service of Her late Majesty – each a distinct interpretation of how to commemorate the Queen’s extraordinary legacy.
This landmark project will honour the UK’s longest-serving Monarch with a permanent national memorial located in St James’s Park in London.
These finalists were chosen from a wide field of submissions that demonstrated a rich breadth of creativity and talent. The design brief called for an emotionally resonant space that offers a moment of pause and reflection within the sensitive setting of St James’s Park — a Grade I listed landscape in the heart of London. The winning proposal is expected to deliver a national landmark of outstanding quality, one that speaks to Queen Elizabeth II’s unique character and enduring values.
Beyond aesthetic and symbolic power, the proposals will also be assessed on criteria such as placemaking, visitor experience, and value for money. The winning design team is set to be announced in Summer 2025. A parallel search for a sculptor to develop the memorial’s figurative representation will conclude later this year.
Here’s a summary of the five proposed designs:
Foster + Partners propose a flowing journey through Royal gardens inspired by John Nash’s romantic landscape, linked by a tessellated stone path made from materials across the UK and Commonwealth. The design includes new figurative sculptures of Queen Elizabeth II and of Her Majesty with Prince Philip, framing entrances on Birdcage Walk. Key features include a Commonwealth Garden anchored by Yinka Shonibare’s Wind Sculpture, a Community Garden reflecting the UK’s diversity, and the Unity Bridge, a striking architectural centrepiece. Audio installations and a digital conservatory ensure the Queen’s voice and presence remain ever accessible.
Heatherwick Studio’s concept centres on togetherness, the unifying value Her Majesty championed throughout her reign. The design’s signature feature is a 70-step memorial walk, with each “lily pad” stone representing a year of her reign and inscribed with reflections from across the Commonwealth. At its centre, a figurative sculpture of the Queen is embraced by a canopy of eight sculptural lilies, symbolising dignity, grace, and unity. Crafted from limestone and integrated seamlessly into the park, the memorial is envisioned as quietly monumental — a living landmark grown from the landscape.
J&L Gibbons offer a poetic tribute grounded in nature and resilience. Their proposal uses a “bedrock” path symbolising the Queen as a foundation of the nation, leading through an immersive, seasonally responsive landscape. A graceful stone bridge emerges from the terrain, its cascading water and gentle curves enhancing the sensory experience. The design invites forest bathing and quiet contemplation, while adapting to future climate and footfall pressures. Stones sourced from the four nations further root the memorial in the fabric of the United Kingdom.
Landscape designer Tom Stuart-Smith’s approach centres around storytelling. At the heart of the memorial stands a cast of a majestic oak from Windsor Great Park, elevated on a plinth in the lake — a powerful metaphor for strength and continuity. The site includes a curved stone bridge, a serpentine path paved with stones from across Britain, and bronze-cast objects of significance from the Queen’s life. An accompanying soundscape weaves in voices and memories of those she influenced, making the journey intimate and personal.
WilkinsonEyre’s proposal threads themes from Queen Elizabeth II’s life — from Faith to Family, from Commonwealth to Nature — through a woven landscape of paths and symbolic spaces. Designed to blend lightly with the park’s historic ecology, the scheme features two elegant bridges spanning the lake, creating framed views of London landmarks. This design prioritises accessibility, reflection, and movement, offering a subtle yet enduring tribute that reflects the Queen’s grace and deep public connection.
