Details confirmed as unveiling of Rutland's royal statue approaches

By Evie Payne

26th Mar 2024 | Local News

Details of the unveiling of the highly anticipated statue of the late Queen Elizabeth II have been released.

The statue of the late queen, HM Queen Elizabeth II, is the first to be commissioned since her death.

This permanent memorial to Britain's longest reigning monarch was commissioned by the Lord Lieutenant of Rutland, Dr. Sarah Furness, following the late Queen's death.

The statue, which has been much anticipated but also heavily debated by Oakham locals, is set to be unveiled on 21 April 2024, on what would have been the late Queen's birthday. .

Dr Sarah Furness explained that "the unveiling will be an opportunity for the children and people of Rutland and the wider country to celebrate this tribute to Britain's longest reigning and possibly greatest monarch."

Dog and human members of The Welsh Corgi League will be present to celebrate the late Queen's life-long love of animals and her special relationship with Corgis - which feature in the new addition to Rutland's market town of Oakham.

The statue was laucnhed in early 2023, when fundraising began. Image credit: Nub News.

Created by sculptor Hywel Pratley, the statue proposal was first launched at a private Oakham Castle event in early 2023.

Foundations are currently being put in place ready for the spring-time unveiling event, to be hosted by the Lord-Lieutenant of Rutland.

This will take place on 21 April at 2pm in the Oakham Library gardens, behind the library.

The statue is set to be located where Oakham in Bloom's iconic peacock creation was. The much-loved floral piece has been moved to accommodate the state, but will remain in the gardens, and has been given a tidy up by volunteers ahead of the event.