Queen statue must be in prominent London location, assembly told - BBC

An artwork entitled The End by Heather Phillipson on Trafalgar Square's Fourth Plinth

By Noah Vickers

Local Democracy Reporting Service

A new statue of the late Queen Elizabeth II should be placed in a "prominent" London location, City Hall politicians have said.

The London Assembly unanimously agreed a motion for a new permanent monument to Britain's longest-serving monarch.

It followed calls by MPs soon after the Queen died in September for a statue to be placed on the Fourth Plinth at Trafalgar Square.

The location will be chosen "in consultation with the Royal Family".

'Fitting accolade'

The motion was put forward by Conservative AM Nick Rogers, who said a "prominent, public location" would be a "fitting accolade" to preserve her memory, at a meeting last week.

An earlier version of the motion said the statue should be placed on the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square, but the final wording said its location should "be decided in consultation with the Royal Family".

"People have very strong views about what the Fourth Plinth has been used for," Labour AM Leonie Cooper said.

A statue of Britain's late Queen Elizabeth II at York Minster, York

Lib Dem AM Caroline Pidgeon said it was "without question" that a new statue should be commissioned, but said the Fourth Plinth was not the best location.

"I think that [location] is about art and challenge and other things, rather than perhaps a place for reflection and reflecting [on] our longest-serving head of state," she said.

She suggested placing it in Parliament Square instead.

Caroline Russell, Green AM, said she was strongly opposed to the Fourth Plinth, as the location "contributes to the cultural debates in our city".

The motion passed by the Assembly does not have a formal effect on mayor Sadiq Khan's policies, but demonstrates cross-party support for the idea.

A spokeswoman for Mr Khan said: "The mayor wants to see a lasting and fitting tribute in London to Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

"City Hall stands ready to support the wishes of the Royal Family in finding the best location for a national memorial that reflects her unique status as the longest-serving monarch."