Unity Bridge Memorial Honoring Queen Elizabeth unveiled in Dubai

Prime Highlights

The Foster + Partners design contains a tiara, or the Queen Elizabeth II-inspired transparent glass “unity bridge.”
The St James’s Park memorial includes sculpture, gardens, and artistic memorials to the Queen and Prince Philip.

Key Facts

Chosen by national design competition from five shortlisted consortia.
The memorial will be open and increase biodiversity in the historic park.

Key Background

Foster + Partners has been appointed by the UK government as architect to create its national Queen Elizabeth II memorial, which will be constructed in St James’s Park, near Buckingham Palace. The winning group was chosen from among five shortlisted teams of designers and features working with landscape architect Michel Desvigne, artist Yinka Shonibare, and ecologist Nigel Dunnett. The scheme will last 70 years of the Queen’s reign and form a public space that encourages reflection, unity, and harmony with nature. Part of the scheme is a dramatic cast-glass monument known as the “unity bridge.” The replacement for the new Blue Bridge, it will link Marlborough Gate to Birdcage Walk and will be created on balustrades that reflect the Queen’s wedding tiara.

The bridge represents Queen Elizabeth II as an emblem of the Commonwealth, UK, and global communities. The bridge is between a “family of gardens,” which attempts to come to terms with St James’s Park’s conventional plan and contemporary biodiversity plans with 19th-century architect John Nash’s naturalistic scheme. The memorial features several sculptural and artistic works. There will be a gigantic statue of Queen Elizabeth II on Marlborough Gate, together with memorials of the Queen and Prince Philip on newly created Prince Philip Gate. Designer Yinka Shonibare will provide an interactive wind sculpture that represents movement and legacy. There will be audio pieces in the installation where individuals will be able to listen to the voice and speeches of the Queen.

Sustainability and public accessibility are central to the project. Throughout the design and implementation, ecological sensitivity and open access will be maintained. With a budget ranging from £23 million to £46 million, the final design and sculptor selection will be completed by April 2026, aligning with what would have been Queen Elizabeth II’s 100th birthday. The project balances tradition, innovation, and reflection—echoing the legacy of a monarch who shaped modern Britain.