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Friday, 19 April, 2002, 19:29 GMT 20:29 UK
Queen Mother statue: Should there be a lasting memorial?
A statue of the Queen Mother should be erected in Trafalgar Square, according to a leading member of the Liberal Democrats.Disclaimer: The BBC will put up as many of your comments as possible but we cannot guarantee that all e-mails will be published. The BBC reserves the right to edit comments that are published.
Simon Hughes, Lib Dem home affairs spokesman, said there had been much debate about what should occupy the fourth plinth in the Square and that a statue of the Queen Mother would be the most fitting suggestion to date.
London mayor Ken Livingstone said he "strongly agreed" there should be a lasting memorial to the Queen Mother in London, but questioned whether other venues could be more suitable.
What do you think? Should the Queen Mother be honoured in stone? If so, where do you think it should go?
Phoebe Collins, Canada
Yes, I fully believe that the Queen mum should be remembered always. She has done so much for all of Britain¿s colonies, not just as a symbol but was there for support in our times of need - during the wars especially. I think the future should pay tribute to her as well, so a statue would be appropriate for this.
We should not put up a statue of her or anything like that, but if a new hospital is to be built anyway then I would gladly accept it being named after her. I think a she was a good royal and a nice person, but lets not get into the habit of putting up memorials for every royal who dies, or then the symbolism of honouring them after they are dead loses some value.
As a lifetime Royalist and a great admirer of HM The Queen Mother I agree with many of the comments which have been written that a living memorial would be more in keeping with her lively and life-loving personality than a statue. The building of a hospital, in her name, raised by voluntary public subscription seems like something she of which she would have approved and should be given serious consideration.
How about an enormous billboard that shows how much money we as a country have wasted on her over the years?
What difference does it make? She has already been memorialized in History in a big way. But personally. If I died. I would rather a service in my name that benefited people be created then a likeness in metal or stone.
It saddens me to read the some of the comments posted here. While it is true that HM The Queen Mother did enjoy, as most royally does, a life many of us would envy, there is something to be said for tradition and nostalgia. The Royal Family, with all its pomp and ceremony, castles, crowns, and palaces represent our history. Living in Toronto where 50% of Canada's immigrants settle has created a very diverse society where people can celebrate their history, race and faith. Don't fault those of us, who want to embrace, antiquated or not, the notion of the Royal family and what it represents. God bless HM the Queen; and may HM the Queen Mother rest in peace.
In my opinion, and I am sure that a lot of other people would agree with me that The Queen Mother should have a statue. She was very respected by all and I think an example to us. She deserves a statue. I think put it somewhere in the heart of London. Not where there are swarms of people everywhere but where it is easily seen and people can honour her memory and appreciate all that she has done.
Stephen Hayes, England
I think that there should be a lasting monument to the Queen Mother, but do not feel that Trafalgar Square is the place. Perhaps somewhere a bit quieter. What about outside Clarence House or alongside her husband in the Mall.
Of course there should be a memorial of the Queen Mother. Whether it should be in Trafalgar Square or in some other prominent place in London is a lesser issue.
As for the people who say their taxes are mis-spent on such things: The Royal Family generates an enormous amount of revenue for this country - far more than they receive from us. You only had to drive past Buckingham Palace during the weekend before her funeral and see the hundreds of tourists there to understand this.
Janine Goodson, South Africa
Yes, but can her family pay for it? Mind you, we subsidise them, so I suppose we're pick up the tab after all.
A statue? In Trafalgar Square, in the Mall? This would be quite OTT for all the reasons stated in previous comments. How about giving her name to the bar in the grandstand at Aintree?
Oh for goodness sake, this is almost as ridiculous as the Diana fiasco that 'Gripped the nation'. Bury the old dear and let's get on with the more important things in life please.
You definitely don't want to hear the comments of a Zambian who only knew of the Queen Mother as that - Queen Mother. As such I have no sentimental feelings towards her office. However, I wish the British all the best as they toss the statue idea to and fro.
Personally I couldn't agree more with Ron, that it is soldiers and people who have fought and given their lives for this country that should be remembered forever. Although I respect the royal family I do not feel that a statue of the Queen Mother is entirely necessary. Some other fitting gesture perhaps.
Sarah Davies, Manchester, England
Yes, why not? We all adore her!
A lasting monument to the Queen Mother is a lovely idea and should be, I feel, a statue opposite or even next to her beloved 'Bertie'. Much better than the suggested Trafalgar Square idea.
I think that a statue of the Queen Mother is a bad idea. We should remember her the way she was-such a remarkable woman does not need a statue of her put up, as people remember her in their own special ways.
We don't need a statue of the Queen Mum, we do need better health care and more money in schools and we do need to stop closing old people's homes - not everyone is as privileged as the Queen Mother was and if we think that her contribution to society is so important, why don't we appreciate the other elderly members of our society - they are the ones who built the Britain we have today after all, no matter how small their part in it, they created our history and they deserve our respect and support as much if not more than a member of the royal family.
Everyone goes on about how she was one of us and always had a smile for people. If I was born into royalty and all I had to do was smile at people to live in the lap of luxury I'm sure I would do it happily. Spend the money on something useful. Why honour those who live off the fat of the land.
I am appalled to read the comments on this page, the majority pander to the idiotic people who still want to live in the past. One particular comment refers to the 'stony hearted socialists', suggesting the statue could be made out of recycled materials, the 'detritus of the 20th century'. Do these people live in the real world? Don't they realise that Britannia doesn't rule the waves anymore? These people live in the past, it's this mindset that leads to discrimination on every level. The monarchy itself a symbol of imperialism and repression.
Maria Clarke, England
While fully agree that a statue of the Queen Mother should be put up in London near the Houses of Parliament. I think first a statue of Princess Diana shoals be placed near in Trafalgar Square first. It's been 4 years now.
Why don't we just make sure that no other old ladies of 101 are booted out of their nursing homes to make way for a housing development? Security in old age for all classes of pensioner would be a fitting memorial.
A statue of the Queen Mum would be nice, next to her beloved husband Bertie. Not in Trafalgar Square. It needs to be in the old style of sculpture, lifelike not a caricature!
I agree with most that a statue would be a fitting tribute to the Queen Mother, and a constant reminder to us of the value in service, constancy, and a sincere smile for all. I feel the location should be beside or opposite her husband King George VI, with a flower garden nearby.
Absolutely there should be a monument to this great Lady. It should be located in a very prominent place in London.
I don't think the memorial should be a likeness. It should be a remembrance for all she did for the country
Tom McCann, UK
Definitely not a statue to this lady who would not allow "the boys" mother's name Diana to be spoken in her house and was quite OK with her grandson having an old mistress.
The appalling opinion of a vast majority of these loyal British subjects makes me sick. I work hard and pay my taxes as everyone else but would welcome a lasting memorial to the Queen Mum.
I would dearly love to see a statue of the Queen Mother occupy the 4th plinth in Trafalgar Square - there is no-one who is more deserving for all that she has done for our beloved country.
I vote yes for the memorial statue in Britain, and also in every other Commonwealth and non-Commonwealth nation.
Of course a memorial would be fitting, but I think on the mall beside the King would be best.
As for all you sad lot complaining about tax money be misspent, why don't you point your finger in the direction where it is really wasted, paying out social for every lazy layabout, down the tubes of the crap system known as the NHS etc.?
Pat Estey, Canada
I agree that if there is a statue it should be near the statue of George VI. Didn't the funeral procession go past a status of George VI and wasn't it close to Clarence House?
As an avid royalist I too would like to see some memorial to the Queen Mother. Whether a statue or a building. Its location should be somewhere where everyone can enjoy it such as St James/Green/Hyde Park.
I thought the funeral was great it was amazing the amount of people who came to London to see her final funeral and the throwing of flowers onto the coffin was great. I believe a memorial should be placed next to her beloved husband because that's what should would have wanted and can I just say how touched I was at seeking so many people lining the streets along the way to Windsor castle. God rest her soul and may she be remembered for many years to come and to not be forgotten.
A permanent memorial to the Queen Mother should be erected because she was so revered by so many. During the period of mourning I never heard one negative word or phrase said about her. I believe this was also true during her glorious life. She was loved by all (from all over the world) and it would be apt for present and future generations of people from everywhere.
Maybe Mr. Goldsborough (Co Durham) can help me 'grasp the whole picture'. What exactly has the queen mother ever done? Apparently the majority of the public loved her, I, however, have not met one person who doesn't think that the royal family is an outdated institution. And sorry about whinging about the taxes, but I was hoping that my taxes would be used to help other people, not to pay for building materials for a statue that reminds me how great the royal family are.
A statue of the Queen Mother is definitely required, however I tend to think that somewhere in the Mall would be more suitable, possibly across from that of George VI or near Clarence House. A hospital or two bearing her name would be a fine government gesture, and I am sure would have been much approved by the Queen Mother.
I find it annoying that certain people do not appreciate the commitment that the Queen Mother, has given to this country and the love and respect that the vast majority of people have towards her and her family.
I wish certain people would not whinge about "misspent taxes" etc. as they clearly do not appreciate the overall picture, they do not seem to grasp the stabilising influence that the Monarchy gives to this country, let alone all the hard work that the Royal Family undertake.
Oh good. I was wondering what they were going to do with all that spare cash we have hanging around. After all, this country has all the hospitals it needs hasn't it? I'm sure a 70 year-old lady who needs a hip replacement won't mind waiting another six months in order to make way for this.
If there is not a permanent memorial to the Queen Mother then it will be a very great shame. Regardless of whether she was the British Citizen most deserving of a memorial is a moot point. She was Queen, the mother of our present monarch and witnessed the whole of the twentieth Century. Great Britain must move forward, our democracy needs some work, hereditary peerage is already under reform but a move to a more equitable and democratic Britain should not mean that we have to lose our continuity of history.
I do believe there should be a lasting memorial to the Queen Mother, but do not feel it should be in Trafalgar Square. I believe it should be a joint memorial, along with King George VI in some lovely park surrounded by flowers and beauty, for it is largely due to them that we could all enjoy the freedom to enjoy such pleasures. Their statues belong together - a testimonial to a love which encompassed a nation.
Carl Williams, Canada/UK
The Queen Mother left behind her a legacy of caring, humour, dignity, and above all love. She had a position of power, not by choice, and she used that power to do good and spread love in the world. We should remember her, she was a example to us all. Royal or not, her life has made this world a better place and we are luckier for it. Let's name a building after her like a hospital so that her memory can go on benefiting our lives the way she did.
I think it would be most appropriate to have a lasting memorial to the Queen Mother; whether it be a statue in Trafalgar Square, a building of some sort, or some other monument, will doubtless be decided in the fullness of time. However, I think it is a bit too soon, and smacks of crass populism, to make a decision just now. The decent thing to do would be to allow a little time, and perspective, to enter this emotional discussion.
It is well past time we moved on to other more important issues. However, I find the attempts to rewrite history very offensive. It was the ordinary soldier who gave their lives that we have to thank for freedom, not someone who was mainly trying to rescue the then tarnished image of the Royal Family. And the one person in power at that time we have to thank is still Churchill. He did stand almost alone against the appeasement lobby for a long time, with at best very little support from the Royal Family who would now like to take so much of the credit.
Although I am not British, I have the utmost respect for Her Majesty the Queen Mother. She was a great and noble Lady who represented the best of humanity; not just for Great Britain, but for the whole of the world. For those of you who would comment negatively about this Grand Queen and deny her a fitting statue, I find your lack of character and loss of tradition to be utterly reprehensible. God bless you, Queen Mum. I am one of many admiring Americans who hopes to one day have the pleasure of lying a flower at the base of your most deserving memorial statue.
I am not British, yet I blush at the shamelessly disrespectful comments regarding luxury and pampering. As someone said in the earlier tributes, the Queen Mother's noble qualities need not be owed to Royalty, and we would all do well to remember this. I hope I shall be excused for saying that certain authors on this page betray a lamentable lack of tact, national pride and historical knowledge.
I am convinced that a memorial in the Mall, as suggested by most people so far, would be most appropriate. Definitely NOT in Trafalgar Square.
The children's hospital should be built in some green part of London, less saturated by noisy tourists.
This is the least that a grateful nation can do.
Ian MacDonald, UK
I'm not a Royalist myself, and yes, I was surprised at the numbers of people who genuinely wanted to celebrate the life of the Queen Mother. I feel that she does deserve the place in Trafalgar Square - I suspect it will be a long time before we can agree on anybody better!
This sounds like politicians queuing to jump on a populist bandwagon. Strange that Simon Hughes never mentioned this before her death.
I think Dougal McKinnon should realise you don't normally put up memorials for someone until they are dead. It would be the ultimate accolade to her. Putting the Queen Mother's statue in the Mall would be perfect as they could both watch over the Queen and her family as they go to and from Buckingham Palace. She was quite simply the best.
I'm sure the Queen Mother was a lovely lady and clearly many people are sad that she's gone, but we really need to move on from this Royalist obsession which serves no purpose in the 21st century. Now would be a fitting time for the Royals to gracefully step aside and make way for a republican state. A statue would be a step in the wrong direction.
The Queen Mother was a living memorial. I don't think we need to spend any more taxpayers' money on her.
I hope Anne had the same complaint when millions was spend on the Dome! Yes we should have a statue of the Queen Mother. If the last 10 days have shown us anything is that we may have change but in the essentials we are still the same.
A statue could be placed alongside that of her husband on the Mall. One always thinks of them together as a couple and for the Commonwealth during the war.
Why not on the opposite side of the road to King George VI's statue? It would be near to both Clarence House and Buckingham Palace and it would be wonderful to see them both together at last.
No, please no. Not another unelected, overstated Royal
cluttering up the landscape. Why not erect a statue of somebody that
actually deserves the status instead of somebody who was given it.
The Queen Mother has been a part of our British history and it is more than appropriate to erect a statue of this wonderful lady not only in London but in other cities, and of course also in Scotland.
An excellent idea. It's about time we started putting up meaningful statues instead of the rubbish that seems to pass for art these days. It would be a fitting tribute to a lady who has served her country well. And at least everyone will know whom the statue represents, not like some of the hideous monstrosities that have been erected in our towns and cities over the past few years.
Andrew Wilson, UK
While a statue of the Queen Mother is an excellent idea, I feel it would look very out of place in a corner of Trafalgar Square with three crusty old gents and Nelson for company. Far better to put it in a garden, perhaps the lovely one in Hyde Park near the Queen Mother gates?
Oh please you have got to be kidding me. There are a lot more people who have done much more for this country than one woman who lived a life of luxury.
Why not honour somebody that has achieved something more than being born extremely wealthy and dying extremely wealthy 101 pampered years later? It really is about time we stopped all this fawning over people who don't really do anything other than 'be royal'.
I think that the people have shown their love and commitment to the Royal Family with utmost respect and sincerity, but I think a statue of the Queen Mother would be a little on the insane side. I'm sure someone more appropriate would be a better candidate. Such as Charles or someone people related to, like Diana?
A memorial wing in a hospital would be more fitting. A statue in the middle of a square just doesn't seem right.
I think that the idea of a statue in Trafalgar Square is an excellent one. I would like to see a statue in some of our other major cities as well. Look at all the statues that were erected all over the country of Queen Victoria, the first Empress of India. Surely the last Empress of India should be honoured in a similar fashion.
Why not. It'll give people somewhere else to queue for seven hours.
I think that a statue to commemorate the life of HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother would be a most fitting tribute to one of the greatest ladies this nation has been fortunate enough to call their own and the like of which I doubt we will ever be lucky enough to have again. At the same time I cannot see why a worthwhile building such as a hospital should not be dedicated to her memory as well. Surely she deserves both!
No. Why on earth don't people start getting their priorities in order?
Let's spend the money, time and effort we give this family in more productive ways. Better hospitals, schools, and policing spring to mind.
Matt, Amsterdam, Netherlands (ex-UK)
A monument would be very nice, but I would prefer that her name was given to a new children's hospital, where it would constantly be remembered for generations to come.
A statue in Trafalgar Square on the fourth stone would be a fitting memorial to the Queen Mum, who loved her country and London so much.
Whilst I agree with the suggestion, I do feel the Queen Mother would have preferred a more useful memorial that directly benefited people.
Have we not spent enough time, money and resources already. The Queen is not the only person in Britain to have lost a loved one- She didn't die a painful, lingering or heroic death, any more than she led anything other than a pampered, rich existence. The reaction to the death of a lady of 101 is so sad, some people really need to get a life.
Sally Keen, UK
Spend the money on something useful.
A statue would be nice, but why in the middle of the most crowded square in London. Why not in the gardens at Kew, or in Caithness where the Queen Mother's own home is. Ed and other republican patrons, with regards your comments they should as with all things from a republican mind be dismissed out of hand, with all that bitterness and jealousy, let's hope that you never get a statue anywhere!
The Queen Mother's memory will last with all of us who have witnessed her contribution. However, a statue will ensure that memory abides for future generations. As for a location, why not on the Mall opposite her husband? That seems to me to be appropriate.
I think a statue is a great idea, but not at Trafalgar Square, put her next to her beloved Bertie where she would love to be.
William Johnson, United Kingdom
Yes, a nice statue would be wonderful, but not in Trafalgar Square, with crowds, traffic and pigeon poop.
It should be in the St. James / the Mall / Wellington Steps area. Classy and nice, like the Queen Mum.
There should be a statue to honour this great lady, if her husband has a statue so should she.
It is true that Her Majesty did not live like the vast majority of her subjects. It is true that she led a life of luxury. It is true that she represented a system of hereditary monarchy which some - rightly or wrongly - disagree with.
However, to claim that Her Majesty is undeserving of continuing recognition is nonsensical.
The people of the United Kingdom (and the Commonwealth Realms of the Queen) have expressed over the years a great love and affection for the Queen Mother. She was, and remains, an important figure in the lives of the British people.
It is therefore appropriate that a lasting memorial to Her Majesty be established in London - and perhaps in some of the other major cities of the Commonwealth where her presence will be fondly remembered.
A statue for the Queen Mother would be an excellent for her long life, although I don't think Trafalgar Square would be good location. It always struck me as too dark and grey to reflect the Queen Mother's personality. Maybe a statue in St. James' Park, possibly alongside one of George VI.
Let's have a Queen Mum Statue on that 4th Plinth, but as a sop to the bleeding heart liberals and the stony hearted socialists let's make it of recycled materials. I'm sure that, with a little application of science, we can create a lasting, artistic and beautiful memorial to a fine lady made from a representative sample of the human detritus of the last 101 years - a challenge and fitting memorial to represent all shades of opinion.
10 Apr 02 | UK
Call for Queen Mother statue
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