Public encouraged to submit their memories of Queen Elizabeth II as 4th anniversary of late monarch’s passing is marked

Hundreds of thousands of people have visited the Queen Elizabeth Digital Memorial since its launch on 21 April this year, as part of the national memorial, with many people, including famous faces, submitting their personal memories.

Led by the Cabinet Office, the digital memorial brings together rich archive material, photography and video to map key events from Queen Elizabeth’s life and reign, and invites the public from around the world to contribute their own memories to create a lasting public record.

Today, working alongside major organisations such as Barnardos, the Scottish Women’s Institute, the National Gallery, the London Ambulance Service and others, the digital memorial will release rarely seen archival photographs and memories of the late Queen’s life to mark the fourth anniversary.

The website is underpinned by a searchable, complete record of Queen Elizabeth’s public engagements and duties across the entirety of her reign from 1952 to 2022. Anyone can visit the site, search for a particular date to see what the Queen was doing, or search a location to see if the Queen visited it. The website has also brought together collections and archives across the UK including the Royal Collection and the BBC, releasing a collection of rarely seen films ranging from her wedding in 1947 through to the Diamond Jubilee Pageant in 2012.

New material released today includes:

• A new memory from Sir Stephen Fry touching on the collective sense of loss he felt with those in the audience at a test match in Oval when the announcement of the late Queen’s passing was announced.
• Images and objects from the National Gallery relating to Queen Elizabeth’s visit in 1991 to open the Sainsbury wing.
• Images of young children celebrating with a birthday cake sent by Princess Elizabeth to the Barnardo’s Girls Village Home in Barkingside in 1936;
• An audio recording of a member’s memory from the Scottish Women’s Institutes on Royal Deeside, following a two-year project funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund as the organisation approaches its 110th anniversary in 2027.
• Images and objects from the London Ambulance Service NHS Trust from Queen Elizabeth’s visit to their headquarters in 1975.

His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales recently shared his favourite memories of the late Queen on the platform. Other notable public figures who have provided memories include the Hon Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Tom Daley OBE, Dame Tracey Emin, Baroness Valerie Amos, and others.

The Queen Elizabeth Digital Memorial is now inviting the public to share a memory of Queen Elizabeth that has stayed with them. You may have performed for the Queen in a choir, met her on a walkabout in your town, celebrated one of her jubilees with your local community; whatever it is – we want to hear it.

Don’t miss the chance to share your memories of Queen Elizabeth for her centenary year. Add yours today at www.queenelizabeth.com.