A national memorial to Queen Elizabeth II has a construction budget of up to £46 million.
Leading artists, architects and engineers are being asked to compete to design the project’s master plan, with entries closing on January 20.
The tribute will be in St James’s Park, near Buckingham Palace, and public funds will be used to pay for the tribute.
Lord Janvrin, leading the Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee, said: “It must be a beautiful place to reflect on an extraordinary life.”
The site was chosen following public consultation because it is close to his former residence, Buckingham Palace, and, poignantly, statues of his parents.
The memorial committee said it hopes to provide an “appropriate memorial” as well as a space for “contemplation and community.”
It ambitiously adds that it will be of “appropriate scale and ambition to match Queen Elizabeth II’s impact on national life, the Commonwealth and, indeed, the rest of the world.”
The exact footprint of the site has not been decided because it will depend, in part, on the size of the finished design.
The nation is being asked to help create a “fitting” memorial to Queen Elizabeth II to be erected in London.
The memorial will be in St James’s Park, near Buckingham Palace, and has a construction budget of up to £46 million.
A graphic showing the location of the proposed monument area.
However, it will include the St James’s Park area adjacent to The Mall at Marlborough Gate and the land surrounding the path leading to the lake.
The committee, set up by the Government and the Royal Household last year, considered several options for the location. He also interacted with experts and members of the public from all four UK countries.
The next step, the design phase, will be launched later this year, when architects, artists and designers will be invited to submit proposals for the monument.
While there is no formal public consultation, members of the public can send their ideas and thoughts to QueenElizabethMemorial@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.
The King is understood to be “very interested” in the project, as is the Prince of Wales.
The announcement of the final design will coincide with what would have been Queen Elizabeth II’s centenary year, in 2026.
The Government will support successful proposals and will work closely with the committee over the coming years.
Commenting on the project, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: “Queen Elizabeth II’s lasting legacy of service and devotion to our country will never be forgotten.”
“The national memorial will be located in St James’s Park, right in the heart of the capital, giving everyone a place to honor the late Queen and connect with the shared history we hold dear.”
The Golden Coach carrying Queen Elizabeth II during the Golden Jubilee celebrations on The Mall
Queen Elizabeth II is seen during the State Opening of Parliament at the Palace of Westminster in London on October 14, 2019.
Queen Elizabeth II waiting in the drawing room before receiving Liz Truss for an audience at Balmoral, Scotland, just before her death.
The announcement of the final design will coincide with what would have been Queen Elizabeth II’s centenary year, in 2026.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Pat McFadden, said: ‘Queen Elizabeth II was our longest-reigning monarch and gave her life in the service of our nation.
“It is only right that the memorial is situated in a location that represents the scale of its role at the heart of British society and provides a place for reflection.”
The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Memorial is across the Mall from their daughter’s proposed tribute.
Completed in 2009, it incorporates a Grade II listed statue of George VI by William McMillan, unveiled by Queen Elizabeth II in 1955, and a statue of the Queen Mother by Philip Jackson, unveiled in 2009.
Some local tributes to the late queen have already been created, including a statue at York Minster which was unveiled by King Charles two months after her death.
A statue of the Queen with her beloved corgis at her feet worth £125,000 has also been erected in Rutland.
Andrew Scattergood, chief executive of The Royal Parks, said the charity was “honoured” the site had been chosen.
He added: “The park is steeped in rich royal history, renowned worldwide for hosting spectacular royal and ceremonial events, so it seems fitting that the monument is located here.
“We hope the memorial area will provide people with a quiet space for reflection and contemplation.”