Rutland Lord Lieutenant submits plans to put up statue of late Queen Elizabeth II

Plans to put up a £125,000 statue of the Queen have been submitted.

The application for a stone plinth on which the statue of the late Queen Elizabeth II will be mounted has been submitted to Rutland County Council by Lord Lieutenant Dr Sarah Furness.

It shows the plinth, which will stand outside Oakham Library, will be made of white limestone and will be carved with: “Queen Elizabeth II 1926-2022 Erected as a Tribute to Her Late Majesty through public subscription by the people of Rutland.”

The seven-foot bronze statue will be on top of the five-foot tall plinth. A raised plinth in matching limestone will provide a mount for two Corgi statues and also provide a seat.

Around the base of the plinth, it is proposed that the names of supporters and benefactors who donated towards the statue will be inscribed.

At an event to launch fundraising for the statue, Dr Furness said: "Her Majesty’s death came as a shock and an emotional blow. Her Majesty had been a focus of national identity and stability through immense changes and throughout most of our lives. It is the result of this strong feeling that this statue project was born. Our statue will be a tangible reflection of Rutland's respect and affection for our late Queen.”

If approved, the plinth will be located at on the right-hand side of the main entrance walkway to the library and bordered by the pavement to Catmos Street. The proposed site is a brick planter, which will be removed to provide a level site for the sculpture.