King Charles III paid tribute Tuesday, in a video message, to his “dear mother” Queen Elizabeth II, who would have been 100 years old.
The queen, who died in September 2022 at the age of 96 after seventy years of reign, “remained constant, steadfast and entirely devoted to the people she served,” said the British sovereign, himself aged 77.
“Many aspects of the times in which we live would, I suspect, have troubled him deeply, but I find comfort in his belief that good will always triumph and that a brighter dawn is never far on the horizon,” he added.
“As the young Princess Elizabeth said so well during her very first public speech at just 14 years old, we can all contribute to making the world of tomorrow better and happier,” he said, adding that he shared this conviction “with all his heart”.
This tribute from King Charles to his mother accompanies the presentation of a memorial to include a bronze statue representing her as a young woman, inspired by a portrait of her made in 1954 by the Italian painter Pietro Annigoni.
The statue, reaching more than 7 meters high with its pedestal, will stand at the entrance to the memorial in St James’s Park, near Buckingham Palace in London.
A smaller statue will represent Prince Philip, her husband, in a navy uniform.
Created by famous British architect Norman Foster, the memorial is to include a series of gardens throughout the park, as well as a translucent bridge inspired by the tiara that Elizabeth wore for her wedding.
