The King has unveiled the first posthumous state of Queen Elizabeth II in York this week, describing it as a tribute to her life of service.
King Charles III unveiled a new statue of his mother at York Minster in York. The statue of the late monarch is on the west front of the cathedral, and stands above an area that will soon be named Queen Elizabeth Square.
York Minster stonemason Richard Bossons designed the statue. It is over two metres tall, is made of French limestone, and weighs over a tonne. It depicts the late Queen in her Order of the Garter robes, wearing the King George IV State Diadem and also shows the orb and sceptre signifying her roles as head of state and church.
Bossons created the statue to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee, but with her death in September, it has taken on a poignant new meaning. It was first commissioned in 2017 and was completed in August 2022.
The King gave a moving speech, touching on his mother’s life and reign.
When this statue was first planned five years ago, during a reign of unprecedented duration and achievement, it was intended as a celebration of the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Now, as we have witnessed, with great sadness, the passing of that reign, it is unveiled in her memory, as a tribute to a life of extraordinary service and devotion…The late Queen was always vigilant for the welfare of her people during her life. Now, her image will watch over what will become Queen Elizabeth Square, for centuries to come – a constant example of the duty and care for others, and for our community, which is the calling and the duty we all share.
York Minster is the largest Gothic cathedral in Britain. It is the seat of the Archbishop of York, the most senior official in the Anglican Church after the Monarch and the Archbishop of Canterbury. The first church on the site was built in the seventh century. The current cathedral was started in 1220 and was finished in 1472.
