Queen Elizabeth II
The British government is now in the initial stages of holding a competition among artists and architects to design a new monument in honor of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
A monument for Queen Elizabeth is certainly fitting. She was the longest-reigning British monarch in history and will certainly be remembered as one of the country’s most influential figures. So, nearly two-and-a-half years after her death in September 2022, the British government has called upon artists to submit their designs for a monument dedicated to the late queen that will be erected in Saint James Park. Anyone can submit designs until January 20th, after which the government will narrow it down to a short list of finalists to choose from. Soon after Queen Elizabeth’s death, some suggested that the empty fourth plinth at Trafalgar Square, which has been used for years to showcase contemporary British art, should be the location of the late queen’s monument.
Even though things are still in the early stages, reports indicate that up to £46 million in government money may be spent on the project. Of course, large sums spent on royal monuments are nothing new in Britain. One of the most prominent monuments that comes to mind is the Victoria Memorial, which stands outside Buckingham Palace’s gates. In 1902, when the project got off the ground, the construction had a budget of £200,000 (or just over £20 million in today’s money). While such an important figure as Queen Elizabeth may deserve an impressive monument from the perspective of those who loved and admired her, many have also noticed that the lavish budget contrasts with the state of Britain’s economy and cultural sector. Some question whether the government, regardless of leadership, has its priorities in order.
Between 2010 and 2022, funding for arts and culture decreased by 29% in Scotland, 40% in Wales, and 48% in England. In that time, total funding provided by the Department of Culture, Media, and Sport decreased by 18%. Meanwhile, the Arts Councils of the United Kingdom’s constituent countries all decreased, ranging from 18% in England all the way to 66% in Northern Ireland. In an extreme case publicized last year, Suffolk County Council proposed cutting all arts funding starting in April 2025, much to the horror of local theaters and museums. In a time when cuts are being made to arts budgets at both the local and national level, some may be frustrated by the thought of thinking it necessary to shell out millions of pounds on a single monument in memory of a single person, money that could have been appropriated for any of the deserving museums, galleries, and other cultural organizations that provide an important but underappreciated service to society.
Of course, the £46 million number is the high end of a provisional budget, described by the government press office as “a guide for designers to develop proposals.” However, some commentators have remarked that the underfunded and undervalued nature of Britain’s cultural sector seems even more pitiful when compared to the amount of money doled out for programs and projects like the future Queen Elizabeth memorial. George Nelson of ARTNews asked, “Is it fair that millions of pounds are now earmarked for a statue of a dead monarch when many art institutions across the UK are struggling to survive?”