£46 MILLION! What would you do with £46 million?

She, the late Queen, absolutely deserves a lovely memorial somewhere in London. And she would be the first to say 'don't spend too much money on it', as she was known to be frugal.
Let's hope someone can come up with a fitting memorial for our longest serving monarch. Without spending too much....
I cannot agree for a single moment that they are parasites.
What an unpleasant comment.

Isn’t it very likely that this was discussed with the Queen many years ago ?

I’m sure her family and successive governments would have wanted to know her views.

btw, the article says "between 23 and 46 million, I think both far too much but don't let gets fixated on the figure of 46 mill.

Some great much more modest suggestions here. I do reflect however that if the government didn't do "enough" (as defined by their views on the Queen) there would be howls of accusations from certain quarters.

Cut back the budget and give us something simple but effective.

I must have missed an article - as I never read anything about the "royal family".

Has someone somewhere said they'll spend £46 million of OUR money on Elizabeth Windsor? (former queen).

I thought this thread was really about how we would spend the money.

I would spend it on the kids, invest in the future providing more teachers and youth workers for social activies to counter-act knife crime and poor mentalhealth and give kids the sense that they matter.

Which I don't think they feel at the moment. I don't think anyone cares about them much anymore.

Who'd be a kid these days?

I think the age of memorial statues is past. The best memorial would be a scheme like the 'Duke of Edinburgh's Award'.

It could one that helped finance apprenticeship schemes for disadvantaged young people, or a scheme that involved horse riding , the Queen's main interest in life seems to be horses, or, pace, paddyamme34, one that benefitted highland and Island Scotland as the Queen loved her time at balmoral.

Far more practical use than some monument that only tourists will gawp at.

David49

Queen Elizabeth 11 is deserving of a monument serving the nation for a great many years, it seems to me that one of the existing monuments in London that were relevant centuries ago should be replaced by one to QE11

Trafalgar Square replaced Queen Elizabeth Square certainly would cost an awful lot less than £46m.

You cannot rename Trafalgar Square, like renaming Times Square. Too much of our history being replaced by the likes of Khan, to suit his own agenda. Didnt he refuse to have a statue of our late Queen in London. How dare he. It needs to stop.
A suitable memorial for our late Queen, but why the Gov is thinking that amount of money, still they are spaffing money like confetti, so no surprise.

Queen Elizabeth 11 is deserving of a monument serving the nation for a great many years, it seems to me that one of the existing monuments in London that were relevant centuries ago should be replaced by one to QE11

Trafalgar Square replaced Queen Elizabeth Square certainly would cost an awful lot less than £46m.

paddyann54

I would bill the king and his cohorts ,his £45MILLION rise nearly pays for it and the rest would be small change .I don’t know anyone who thinks spending that amount on any memorial is a. Goood thing in a country where people can’t afford to heat AND eat .I.m a republican and I,d gladly see them all sacked .Parasites one and all !!

But paddyanne54, this is the government, thinking of spending that money.

I was amused by the statue of the first Duke of Marlborough placed at some height at Blenheim Palace. It’s quite difficult to see the details of the figure but maybe something along those lines in some kind of memorial garden for weary visitors to find some peace? I am not sure that it needs to be in London but finding a suitable location might be a challenge. Or maybe just finding a spot near Trafalgar Square? Near the river? Something on high ….. Buckingham Palace in the forecourt? That might keep costs down and the royals could have a daily reminder of their past.

I would bill the king and his cohorts ,his £45MILLION rise nearly pays for it and the rest would be small change .I don’t know anyone who thinks spending that amount on any memorial is a. Goood thing in a country where people can’t afford to heat AND eat .I.m a republican and I,d gladly see them all sacked .Parasites one and all !!

I have no problem with the memorial.
If the government gave me £46 million I would set up skills academies.
I and partner and skilled friends would vet the teachers. Why?
because we have all known too many teachers who, because they can’t hack it in the real world they’re allowed into collages to teach it.

It seems ridiculous to me to spend that amount of money on a memorial when we have pensioners
who are going without food and daren't put the heating on due to not being able to afford it out of the paltry pensions we recieve. The world's gone mad !

Yes a forest seems much more her style. Or a retreat for aged jockeys or racehorses.
Although the cost does include creating new public space in St James Park & the replacement of a dilapidated bridge. Figural statues don't really raise the pulse these days although if there has to be one, Queen Elizabeth must be on horseback.

The recent statue on York minster is a fitting and beautiful tribute to Queen Eluzabth - I really dont know why she needs another ?

That’s a lovely suggestion, Allira. Agree with you.

Allira

Probably HM Queen Elizabeth would have preferred a new forest to be planted somewhere.

Or a trust set up to encourage children to take an interest in nature and the environment.

More likely she would.
Where is the government going to get that money from?

Probably HM Queen Elizabeth would have preferred a new forest to be planted somewhere.

Or a trust set up to encourage children to take an interest in nature and the environment.

Yes I too am surprised that more people are not bothered by this, the cost is astonishing. I had respect for the late Queen, but if there is to be a physical memorial I would like to see the cost, however much, borne by the coffers of the Royal Estate. I would rather the money was spent on a children's centre, or a day centre for the elderly or similar, in the name of the late Queen, it would cover many years of running costs

For her commitment and service for those long years, putting her duty before herself and family, she is worth every penny .

MissInterpreted

I'm surprised there isn't more outrage about this, to be honest. I'm not a royalist - far from it - but I do agree that there should be some kind of memorial, but £46million is utterly ridiculous. Think how many hungry children that could feed - and that's just one example. Let the RF pay for it - let's face it, they can afford it.

I totally agree. The late Queen is on an awful lot of coins so everyone can personally carry an image of her.
There is so much need in Britain, the money should be better spent.

I'm surprised there isn't more outrage about this, to be honest. I'm not a royalist - far from it - but I do agree that there should be some kind of memorial, but £46million is utterly ridiculous. Think how many hungry children that could feed - and that's just one example. Let the RF pay for it - let's face it, they can afford it.

I would set up a charitable trust and place most of the money in the trust to be invested to provide a stream of income that could be used to support a wide range of charities, mainly small ones and those supporting unpopular causes, like rehabiliating prisoners, or helping refugees.