Victoria Memorial

The gleaming white monument in front of you is 25 meters of marble grief, pride, and imperial ambition rolled into one. Queen Victoria ruled Britain from 1837 until her death in 1901, a reign so long it gave its name to an entire era. When her son King Edward VII launched a fundraising campaign to honor her, the response came from every corner of the empire.

Money arrived from Australia and New Zealand. African tribes sent goods to be sold for the cause. So much was collected that this memorial was just the beginning. The same funds paid for Admiralty Arch at the far end of The Mall, the grand boulevard stretching out before you, and completely refaced the front of Buckingham Palace behind it, all within 13 weeks.

Sculptor Sir Thomas Brock and architect Sir Aston Webb gave Victoria a seated position facing The Mall, flanked by figures representing Justice, Truth, and Motherhood. The four bronze lions at her feet were a gift from New Zealand.

The unveiling in 1911 was attended by King George V and Kaiser Wilhelm II, both grandsons of Victoria, standing together in ceremony. Three years later, they were at war with each other. Victoria had managed to keep the family together rather longer than history would.