A new statue of the late Queen Elizabeth II alongside her beloved corgis has been unveiled in the UK on what would have been her 98th birthday.
Residents have welcomed the 7ft (2.1m) bronze monument in the East Midlands town of Oakham, Rutland.
Sculptor Hywel Pratley created the statue on display outside a library.
“Make time to come and see the incredible sculpture, complete with bronze Corgi dogs designed by local children, next time you’re in Oakham,” a social media announcement read.
Queen Elizabeth II died in 2022 aged 96. While parks and venues have been dedicated to the late monarch, there haven’t been that many statues — especially in London.
Here’s where any are in the capital and elsewhere in the UK.
How many Queen Elizabeth II statues are there in London?
From the Elizabeth line to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, many London landmarks commemorate the late Queen.
Despite her mammoth influence on the capital, only one statue of the late monarch is on display.
In late 2023, a sculpture of the late Queen and one of her husband, Prince Philip, was revealed at the Royal Albert Hall.
Situated on the South Porch of the venue, the bronze statue first commissioned in 2020 depicts the late Queen in a long gown, confidently looking out at passing visitors. A second porch features Philip adoringly glancing over toward his wife.
“It is particularly fitting for our distinctive building to mark the contribution to our history of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who supported and attended the Hall devotedly for so many decades, and to celebrate the legacy of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, who were fundamental in its founding,” Ian McCulloch, president of the Royal Albert Hall, said.
How many Queen Elizabeth II statues are there in the UK?
There is a considerable lack of statues dedicated to Queen Elizabeth in the UK. Apart from the latest reveal in the East Midlands, only a handful of others are publicly on view.
The only equestrian statue of the monarch can be found in Windsor. Unveiled in 2003 to celebrate her Silver Jubilee in Windsor Great Park, the memorial created by Philip Jackson features a much younger-looking Queen riding a horse.
In 2022, a memorial in York became one of the country’s first statues unveiled following the Queen’s death. The statue, crafted by Richard Bossons, a stonemason from York Minster, was unveiled by King Charles and now resides at the cathedral’s west end.
“When this statue was first planned five years ago, during a reign of unprecedented duration and achievement, it was intended as a celebration of the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee,” King Charles said. “Now, as we have witnessed, with great sadness, the passing of that reign, it is unveiled in her memory, as a tribute to a life of extraordinary service and devotion.
“The creation of this statue is also, if I may say so, a tribute to the support, affection and prayers that the community of this cathedral, and of this great city, always gave the late Queen, and all for which she stood in the life of the nation and the Commonwealth.”
Work has also started on statues of Queen Elizabeth II in Newcastle-Under-Lyne and in Test Valley near Southampton.
