Sadiq Khan today insisted he “stands ready” to help get a statue of the Queen on the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square.
The London Mayor’s office hit back at reports the plinth - which has hosted modern artworks since 1999 - would not feature the UK’s longest-reining monarch for the foreseeable future.
Speculation mounted after the plinth’s newest work - a statue of Malawian preacher John Chilembwe, who fought against British colonial rule - was unveiled yesterday.
It is understood a four-year schedule is currently planned out for the plinth - with the new statue being replaced by another artwork in September 2024.
It’s also believed the mayor will not suggest a statue of the Queen for the plinth unless it is proposed by the royal family themselves.
But City Hall denied that guaranteed there would be no statue of the Queen on the plinth until at least 2026 - because it’s thought the schedule could be altered if needs be.
The Mayor’s press office insisted claims there was "no room” for the statue were "simply wrong”.
They tweeted: "@MayorofLondon has been repeatedly clear he stands ready to support the wishes of @RoyalFamily whatever they are.
“[He] will ensure our capital has a fitting tribute to our longest serving monarch.”
A spokesperson for the Mayor of London added: "A statue of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at a suitable location in London is a matter for His Majesty the King and the Royal Family to consider.
"And of course the GLA stands ready to support them in their wishes.”
What is the Fourth Plinth?
The plinth was originally constructed in 1841 to host a statue of William IV, but funding struggles meant the sculpture never came to fruition and the plinth remained empty for over more than 150 years.
Since 1999, it has been used for contemporary art after the then-chair of the Royal Society of Arts, Prue Leith, called for something to be done with the vacant structure.
The first sculpture to be displayed was 'Ecce Homo’ – a marble resin human-sized sculpture of Jesus Christ, created by Mark Wallinger in 1999.
This was followed by Bill Woodrow’s ‘Regardless of History’ in 2000, and Rachel Whiteread’s ‘Monument’ in 2001.
After this, there was a four-year hiatus until the Greater London Authority took over the management.
Now works to go on the fourth plinth are decided by the Fourth Plinth Commissioning Group, a "panel of specialist experts” who advise Labour mayor Mr Khan.
A source with knowledge of the talks said despite a "long-standing rumour” that the plinth would be used for a permanent statue of Elizabeth II, it was never "categorically reserved” for the monarch and its future has not been decided.
