By Oliver Dowden, Deputy Prime Minister
Our national story is chronicled in the monuments and memorials that adorn our cities and towns. The instinct to commemorate the most significant events and revered individuals is deeply human. It is right, therefore, that over a year since her demise our thoughts now turn to how best to memorialise the extraordinary life and reign of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
This morning I will convene the first meeting of the Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee at Buckingham Palace. Under the expert chairmanship of her former Private Secretary, Lord Janvrin, and comprised of seven leading figures from public life, the Committee will bring unique knowledge and experience to the project.
On her twenty-first birthday Queen Elizabeth II pledged to devote her life to the service of the UK and the Commonwealth. A promise that she kept faithfully for over 70 years.
Her late Majesty will undoubtedly go down in history as one of our greatest monarchs. In deciding how best to memorialise Elizabeth II, the committee will be reflecting on that lifetime of public service, as well as the leadership and wisdom she offered the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth, and indeed the wider world, during an epochal reign.
