UK to build Queen Elizabeth II memorial in St James's Park

A national memorial to Britain's Queen Elizabeth II will be located in London's St James's Park, which holds "historical and constitutional significance and personal connection" to the late monarch, the UK government said Saturday.

The site is close to the ceremonial route of The Mall and to the Buckingham Palace home of her son King Charles III.

It is also near statues of her parents King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.

"The memorial is intended to provide not only a fitting monument but also a space for contemplation and community, and will be of an appropriate scale and ambition to match the impact of Queen Elizabeth II on national life, The Commonwealth and indeed the rest of the world," said the government.

There will be other memorial projects in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that the queen's "enduring 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, providing everyone with a place to honour the Late Queen and connect with the shared history we cherish," he added.

Sunday marks the two-year anniversary of the death of Elizabeth, who spent a record 70 years and 214 days on the throne.