Donald Insall Associates

The Memorial was unveiled by Her Majesty The Queen on Tuesday, 24 February 2009.

Donald Insall Associates and architect, Donald Buttress have worked together with sculptors Paul Day and Philip Jackson to create a new memorial to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.

The Memorial involved the re-positioning of the statue of King George VI (by William MacMillan, 1956), the design and installation of a new bronze statue of Queen Elizabeth by Philip Jackson, and new bronze reliefs by Paul Day showing scenes from the life of the King and Queen.

The terraces, steps, Portland stone walls and Cornish granite bases between Carlton Terrace and The Mall, that previously framed the statue of King George VI, have been adapted by the architects to form the setting for the new sculptures.

The bronze statue of the King, depicted wearing Garter Robes has been cleaned, re-patinated and moved forward towards The Mall to stand above the new bronze statue of Queen Elizabeth, also shown wearing Garter Robes and the plumed hat characteristic of the Order.  Both statues are the same mid-bronze colour, mounted on Portland stone plinths and simply inscribed with their names and dates of birth and death. They show the King and Queen at a similar age.

Two bronze reliefs, by sculptor Paul Day, show scenes from the life of the King and Queen in London during the Second World War and aspects of the later life of Queen Elizabeth as Queen Mother. These are a lighter bronze colour to show off the sculpted detail. Stone-carvings of the Coats of Arms and cipher panels are by Fairhaven of Anglesey Abbey; and the contractor was PAYE Stonework and Restoration.