A small English town has immortalized a group of iconic British figures: Queen Elizabeth II and her corgis.
The memorial statue to the late monarch was unveiled on April 21 in Oakham, England — a bronze monument of the queen in royal regalia with her cherished dogs at her feet.
An official celebration marked the unveiling of the statue created by sculptor Hywel Pratley, which stands near the town's library, according to Rutland County Council's post on Instagram. The RCC wrote that the statue is the "first permanent memorial" to the late queen.
The ceremony was held on what would've been Queen Elizabeth's 98th birthday. She died at 96 in 2022 after a 70-year run as Britain's longest-reigning monarch.
The statue was commissioned by Dr. Sarah Furness, Lord-Lieutenant of Rutland, who appeared at the event along with other local dignitaries, high school bands and bagpipers, according to the RCC. The design for the corgi dogs was created by local children, the RCC stated.
“What most of us remember about Queen Elizabeth is her warmth,” Furness said in a speech, according to The New York Times. “By showing Queen Elizabeth’s love of dogs, we show her humanity."
Funding for the statue was raised from donations by the public and local businesses, according to the BBC. The ceremony brought fans of Queen Elizabeth from around the country.
“I miss (the Queen), and I wanted to come and see what the statue was like," spectator Jodie Paterson told the BBC.
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The statue is the latest monument to the queen in the 18 months since her death. Another statue of the late monarch was unveiled at London's Royal Albert Hall in December 2023.
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