A new statue of Queen Elizabeth II and her beloved corgis will be unveiled in the first dedicated memorial to the late monarch.
British sculptor Hywel Brân Pratley is the artist behind the 7ft tall clay sculpture which will go on display outside Oakham Library, in Rutland once completed, the Telegraph reports.
Throughout her 70-year reign, the Queen became known for her love of corgis, owning more than 30 in her lifetime.
Lord Lieutenant of Rutland, Dr Sarah Furness commissioned the piece saying she wanted something to reflect her “as a Queen rather than as a person for posterity”.
She said she had been “inundated” with letters from people who felt “personal bereavement” so wanted to create something to show Her Majesty’s “warmth and humanity”.
This will be Mr Pratley’s first public sculpture in Britain and is understood to be the first dedicated memorial to the late Queen.
The sculpture said: “Dr Furness had a vision for a larger than life-sized statue.
“My only criteria set by the statue committee were that they would like a young queen and they would like her to be dressed in state robes.”
Ms Pratley said his inspiration came from photographs of Her Majesty in the 1950s and 60s.
He added: “Her reign was a period of British history, during which she represented something so hopeful – and that’s what people would like to be looking at as they gaze upon their statute.”
The finished sculpture will show three corgis at the Queen’s feet, one of which will be jumping up.
Mr Pratley said he wanted to show the Queen as “being mother of a nation” with the dogs being “able to shelter under Her Majesty”.
Reports suggest King Charles has been asked to unveil the new statue when it is complete with Mr Pratley saying they “haven’t heard the fateful word ‘no’ yet”.
Currently, there are two statues of the late Queen in the UK, the first on display in Windsor Great Park to mark her Golden Jubilee in 2022.
The second was unveiled shortly after her death by the King at the entrance to York Minster, to mark her Platinum Jubilee.
