LONDON, Apr 19: The UK government is marking the birth centenary of the late Queen Elizabeth II this month with a new independent charity that will honour her lifelong commitment to public service by focusing on bringing communities together across the country.
The Queen Elizabeth Trust will be formally launched on Tuesday, which would have been the British monarch’s hundredth birthday, with a one-off government endowment of 40 million pounds as a catalyst for future fundraising. King Charles III will be instrumental in bringing his mother’s values to life for present and future generations as the Royal Patron of the charity, the Cabinet Office said.
“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, founding-chair of the Queen Elizabeth Trust.
“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.
“As an organisation, we’re ambitious about what we can achieve, and our goal is to significantly increase our impact by attracting support from others. I’m looking forward to rolling up my sleeves, listening and learning from communities, and seeing what we can make happen,” he said.
Local projects undertaken by the charity could include the development and transformation of underused buildings and green spaces, as well as neighbourhood hubs. Funding will also help communities ensure they have access to the skills and training they require to deliver local events.
The Cabinet Office said that the new trust’s targeted support for communities will be inspired by the late Queen’s stated belief that “everyone is our neighbour”.
“I hope this new charity will encourage people to remember the life and service of the late Queen by recognising the importance she attached to strengthening that sense of engagement and belonging amongst local communities,” said Lord Robin Janvrin, Chair of the Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee.
The charity is one of three related projects in memory of Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-serving monarch, who died aged 96 in September 2022. A national memorial in St James’s Park and a digital memorial to honour her legacy will also be formally unveiled in London on Tuesday.
The Cabinet Office said the move is part of a long-standing British tradition of honouring the monarch through living memorials that make a “real difference” in people’s lives.
The Queen Elizabeth Trust will ensure Her late Majesty is remembered for her unique ability to bring people together across generations and from all walks of life, it said.
The new charity is said to be the result of the Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee’s recommendation following over two years of engagement with diverse groups across the UK.
The announcement came as Buckingham Palace confirmed award-winning historian, biographer and curator Dr Anna Keay as the official biographer of the late Queen. The biography has been commissioned by King Charles, and Keay will therefore be given access to Queen Elizabeth II’s extensive personal and official papers held in the Royal Archives. She will also be able to talk to those who knew her well throughout her life and service, including members of the royal family.
“It is a profound honour to have been asked to write the official biography of Queen Elizabeth II,” said Keay, a member of the Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee.
“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, and I will do all I can to do justice to her life and work,” she said.
Keay, honoured with an Order of the British Empire (OBE), is best known for her works on British history, the monarchy and historic royal buildings. (PTI)
Follow our WhatsApp channel
