A group of prominent Scottish heritage, arts, and civic leaders has been appointed to devise a permanent memorial to Queen Elizabeth II, reflecting her deep personal connection to the nation. The Scotland Legacy Group will submit its recommendations to First Minister John Swinney, who will then present them to the King.
Scottish Group to Seek Public Input
Chaired by Dr Joseph Morrow, the Lord Lyon King of Arms, the group’s purpose is to propose a lasting national tribute of remembrance and gratitude. The Scottish Government stated that the group will engage with communities across Scotland to envision a suitable memorial and lasting symbol.
The committee’s membership brings together significant expertise. It includes Dr Anna Keay, a historian and director of the Landmark Trust; Professor Chandrika Kaul, a modern history expert from the University of St Andrews whose research spans the monarchy from Queen Victoria to the present day; and retired Lieutenant Colonel Johnny Stewart, the Lord Lieutenant of Clackmannanshire. The arts sector is represented by Leonie Bell, director of V&A Dundee, and Anne Lyden, director general of the National Galleries of Scotland. Helen Webster, a senior Scottish Government official with two decades of experience and responsibility for relationships with the Royal Household, will also serve.
Part of a Coordinated UK-Wide Effort
The Scottish group’s work is not occurring in isolation. It is coordinating closely with the UK-wide Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee, established in 2023 by the UK Government and the Royal Household. That national committee, chaired by the Queen’s former private secretary Lord Janvrin, is developing a legacy programme to mark her 70-year reign.
Dr Anna Keay serves as a key link between the two bodies, holding a position on both the Scottish group and the UK committee. Members of the UK committee visited Scotland in March 2024 to gather expert views and incorporate national perspectives into their planning. The UK Government has confirmed it will fund the memorial in Scotland, as it will for projects in Wales and Northern Ireland.
The UK committee is expected to report its recommendations in 2026, the centenary of the late Queen’s birth.
London Memorial Design Takes Shape
While Scotland’s memorial remains in the conceptual stage, plans for the primary UK national memorial in London are advancing. In June 2025, the practice Foster + Partners won the design competition for a memorial in St James’s Park.
Their winning concept, described as a “living, evolving memorial,” will create a sequence of gardens connected by pathways, featuring sculptures, art, and enhanced landscaping to boost biodiversity. Key elements include a monumental work by Yinka Shonibare representing the Commonwealth, a statue of the Queen by Martin Jennings, and a translucent cast-glass bridge inspired by her wedding tiara. A new civic space, Queen Elizabeth II Place, will be created at Marlborough Gate.
The design, which saw public feedback sought on shortlisted proposals in May 2025, is rooted in John Nash’s original plan for the park. It aims to embrace tradition and modernity, reflecting the Queen’s public duty, private faith, and role across the UK and Commonwealth. The provisional construction budget for the London project is between £23 and £46 million, with the final design anticipated to be unveiled in 2026.
The work of both committees proceeds against a backdrop of the Queen’s well-documented affinity for Scotland, where she spent private summers at Balmoral Castle. The profound Scottish public response to the journey of her cortege from Balmoral to Edinburgh in 2022 underscored that enduring bond, which the new memorial aims to honour formally and permanently.
