£40 Million Queen Elizabeth Trust Launched to Honor Late Monarch's Centenary, Official Biographer Appointed
A new charity honoring the life and legacy of Queen Elizabeth II has been established, as the Royal Family and nation mark what would have been her 100th birthday on 21 April 2026.
The Queen Elizabeth Trust, backed by a £40 million government endowment, will focus on restoring and revitalizing shared community spaces across the United Kingdom—reflecting the late Queen's lifelong belief that "everyone is our neighbor." King Charles III has accepted the role of Royal Patron.
The charity is one of three memorial projects unveiled to honor Queen Elizabeth II at local, national, and global levels. The others include the national memorial in St James's Park, designed by Foster + Partners and recently approved by Westminster City Council, and a global digital memorial allowing people worldwide to contribute their personal memories of Britain's longest-reigning monarch.
"This is a real chance to support communities across the United Kingdom and bring shared spaces back to life—places where people of all ages and backgrounds can meet, connect, and belong," said Sir Damon Buffini, the Trust's founding chair. "I've seen first-hand the difference these spaces can make, creating opportunities, sparking connections, and giving people a sense of pride in where they live. At a time when so many feel disconnected, this work feels more important than ever."
Sir Damon, who also serves as deputy chair of the BBC, will be joined by trustees including National Gallery chair John Booth and Diana Award deputy chief executive Alex Holmes.
The Trust will work with local communities to provide funding and targeted support for projects such as the development of underused buildings, green spaces, and neighborhood hubs. Funding will also help communities access the skills and training needed to organize local events. Further details on funding criteria are expected in the coming months.
Lord Janvrin, chair of the Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee and former Private Secretary to the late Queen, said: "I hope this new charity will encourage people to remember the life and service of the late Queen by recognizing the importance she attached to strengthening that sense of engagement and belonging amongst local communities."
The initiative follows a long-standing tradition of honouring monarchs through living memorials that impact daily life. After the death of King George V in 1936, the King George V Playing Fields project was established to protect recreational grounds across the country—a legacy that continues nearly a century later.
A Week of Centenary Commemorations
The Trust's launch comes amid a week of events marking what would have been Queen Elizabeth II's 100th birthday.
On 20 April, King Charles and Queen Camilla visited the Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style exhibition at The King's Gallery, Buckingham Palace—the largest ever display of the late Queen's wardrobe, featuring around 200 pieces spanning her lifetime, from childhood fancy-dress costumes to her wedding and coronation gowns.
On the centenary itself, Their Majesties visited the British Museum to view plans for the national memorial in St James's Park. Later, they hosted a reception in the Marble Hall at Buckingham Palace where centenarians sharing the late Queen's birthday received their centenary cards in person from the King—a touching echo of the tradition Queen Elizabeth herself maintained throughout her 70-year reign of sending cards to those reaching their hundredth year.
Representatives from patronages closely associated with the late Queen, including Cancer Research UK, the Royal Kennel Club, the British Red Cross Society, the Jockey Club, and the Army Benevolent Fund, also attended. The evening included a video montage reflecting the most defining moments of the late Queen's life.
The Princess Royal marked the occasion by officially opening The Queen Elizabeth II Garden in Regent's Park—a new two-acre space created as a tranquil, fully accessible place for reflection in the heart of the capital.
Meanwhile, a free exhibition at Sandringham Estate explores the late Queen's lifelong connection to her beloved Norfolk home.
Official Biography Announced
Buckingham Palace also announced that award-winning historian Dr Anna Keay OBE has been commissioned by the King to write the official authorized biography of Queen Elizabeth II.
Dr Keay, whose previous works include The Restless Republic: Britain Without a Crown (winner of the 2023 Duff Cooper Prize), will be given unprecedented access to the late Queen's personal and official papers held in the Royal Archives. She will also be able to speak with members of the Royal Family, former staff, and others who knew the Queen throughout her life and reign.
"It is a profound honor to have been asked to write the official biography of Queen Elizabeth II," Dr Keay said. "She was our longest-reigning monarch and an extraordinary woman, whose life spanned a century of great change. I am deeply grateful to His Majesty The King for entrusting me with this responsibility and for granting me access to her papers. I will do all I can to do justice to her life and work."
Official royal biographies have become standard practice since the 20th century, often revealing new details and insights through close access to archives and those who knew the subject best. William Shawcross's official biography of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, for instance, revealed intimate details about her views on the abdication crisis and family relationships.
Three Memorials for Three Levels
The Queen Elizabeth Trust is designed to honor the late Queen at the local level, while the national memorial in St James's Park and the digital memorial will serve national and global audiences, respectively.
The digital memorial, being developed under a £900,000 government contract with software firm Softwire, will allow people from around the world to learn about the late Queen and contribute their own memories and reflections—ensuring that those unable to visit London can still participate in commemorating her life.
The physical memorial in St James's Park, designed by Foster + Partners working with heritage specialists Purcell, French landscape architect Michel Desvigne, and artist Yinka Shonibare, will transform the Grade I-listed Royal Park. A statue of the late Queen will be placed at Marlborough Gate, alongside a separate statue of Prince Philip. The Blue Bridge crossing the park's central lake will be replaced by a translucent glass structure inspired by the tiara worn by the then-Princess Elizabeth on her wedding day.
A memorial path through UK and Commonwealth Gardens, a bronze wind sculpture by Yinka Shonibare decorated with flora from all 56 Commonwealth nations, and a children's "discovery trail" with storytelling elements will complete the scheme.
Queen Elizabeth II died on 8 September 2022 at Balmoral Castle at the age of 96, after a reign of 70 years—the longest in British history. The centenary commemorations offer the nation and Commonwealth an opportunity to reflect on a life of extraordinary service that spanned a century of profound change.
Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style The King's Gallery, Buckingham Palace 10 April – 18 October 2026
The Queen Elizabeth II Garden Regent's Park, London Opens to the public 27 April 2026
