Scotland to build £1.4 million memorial of Queen Elizabeth despite slipping popularity of monarchy

A £1.4 million permanent memorial of Queen Elizabeth funded by the taxpayer is to be created in Scotland, despite support for the monarchy dropping in polls.

Members of the public are being asked to share their ideas on the memorial’s purpose, design, scale and location through an online engagement portal. The portal also invites “personal memories” of the late Queen and her connection to Scotland.

A series of community engagement events will also take place this autumn, led by Lord Lieutenants, involving organisations and groups representing the country’s diverse communities.

“Queen Elizabeth held a special place in the hearts of many people across Scotland,” Cabinet Secretary for Education, Culture and Gaelic Màiri McAllan said on Monday.

“Her passing in 2022 prompted an outpouring of affection and respect. She had a strong connection to Scotland, and it is right that those across the country who would wish to have the opportunity to help shape how that legacy is remembered for future generations.”

The Secretary is calling for a “broad range of voices” including from schools, cultural organisations and those with a particular connection to the late monarch.

“This memorial should reflect the memories, values and experiences of the people of Scotland, while creating something lasting that future generations can enjoy, use and take pride in,” McAllan said.

The Scotland Legacy Group is developing proposals for the memorial, and says that views gathered will help inform its contribution to Scotland’s “cultural, heritage, environmental and community life”.

The engagement portal is open until Sunday, 13 December and can be accessed here.

Scotland’s shifting attitudes towards the monarchy

In May 2022, four months before Queen Elizabeth died, a poll by think tank British Future found that fewer than half of people in Scotland support retaining the monarchy.

36 per cent of participants said the end of the Queen’s reign would be the right moment to move to a republic, while 19 per cent either rejected the choice, or said they didn’t know.

Across the UK, only 40 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds backed keeping the monarchy, while 37 per cent of people from an ethnic minority did so.