Portsmouth City Council has officially launched a fundraising campaign to commission a memorial statue of Queen Elizabeth II. The initiative, which seeks support from local residents and businesses, coincides with the centenary of the city receiving its status on 21 April 1926.
The council has provided an initial contribution of £10,000 to start the project. The announcement was made on 21 April 2026, a date chosen for its double significance as the city’s 100th anniversary and what would have been the late Queen’s 100th birthday.
Lord Mayor of Portsmouth Councillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson described the memorial as a lasting tribute to the Queen, who maintained a long relationship with the city. Throughout her reign, Queen Elizabeth II visited Portsmouth on several notable occasions, including the reopening of the Portsmouth Guildhall in 1959 and the city’s Silver Jubilee celebrations in 1977. She also welcomed home troops from the Falklands War aboard HMS Invincible in September 1982, attended the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar in 2005, and participated in the D-Day 75 commemorations in 2019, as well as the deployment of HMS Queen Elizabeth in 2021.
The statue project is part of Portsmouth100, a year-long programme of events celebrating the history of the area. While the fundraising effort is underway, Portsmouth City Council has indicated that the installation of the statue may take more than five years to complete.
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