The Queen Elizabeth IIBlue Sapphire Statue

ProjectRequest to Prospective Ontario Sculptors to Develop a Proposal

to Erect a Statue of the Queen at Queen’s Park

Prepared by the Canadian Royal Heritage TrustJuly 2015

ProposalA Legacy Project to Commemorate the Queen's 65-Year Reign during the Sesquicentennial of Ontario joining Confederation

• On September 9, 2015, the Queen will become the longest-reigning female monarch in human history, surpassing Queen Victoria’s record that was set in January 1901, whose statue graces Queen’s Park.

• On February 6, 2017, Queen Elizabeth II will celebrate 65 years on the Canadian throne, her “Blue Sapphire” anniversary.

• On July 1, 2017, Ontario will also celebrate its 150th anniversary (the so-called “sesquicentennial”) since joining Confederation in 1867.

• It would make eminent sense, in our opinion, to commemorate these two milestones with a statue of the Queen at Queen’s Park.

Precedents• Saskatchewan commissioned a statue of the Queen – a magnificent

bronze equestrian of Elizabeth II on her favorite horse, Burmese – to commemorate the centennial of Saskatchewan in 2005.

• Manitoba also commissioned one to commemorate the Queen’s address to the Manitoba Legislative Assembly that took place during its centennial in 1970. It was unveiled by the Queen at a ceremony on 3 July 2010.

• The only other statue in Canada of the Sovereign is located on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. It, too, is a bronze equestrian, and was unveiled as part of Canada's 125th anniversary celebrations. The monument took two years to complete.

• There are also three public statues of the Queen in the United Kingdom (a total of nine around the world). With a statue at Queen’s Park, Canada would have four in total, one more than the UK.

Approvals1. Approval in principle received from the

Speaker of the Legislature, including the location and parameters of the statue;

2. Approval of the winning proposal/sculptor from the Speaker; and

3. Approval of the final design by the Queen.

Cannot promote the statue project and go live with a website until approval of final design received by the Queen. Aiming to have final design approved during Fall 2015.

Location• The Clerk of the Legislature has

confirmed the front part of the right side of the legislative grounds would be acceptable and available as a location for the new statue (see diagram, “Alternative Spot 1”).

• This is not a bad location, as that is where the bronze casting of the enthroned statuary of Queen Victoria is situated.

• The proposed statue of QE2 could either be south facing, west facing (towards Queen Vick), or perhaps even south-west facing.

ParametersDevelopment of a winning design for the statue will be the work of the sculptor, however, he or she will need to stay within some minimum requirements

• Dimensions – Similar in size to Queen Victoria to provide the necessary equilibrium at Queen’s Park (i.e., 5,600 pound bronze statue surmounted atop a nine-foot stone pedestal).

• Attitude – Formal or Casual? Presumably monarchs don’t do casual, so very definitely a formal statue of some type.

• Circa – A Young, Middle-Aged or Older Queen? Speaker agreed latter would be better to capture the remarkable longevity and long dedicated service of QE2 to Ontario and Canada.

• Type – Equestrian, Standing or Enthroned? The Clerk of the Legislature intimated that an equestrian type would likely not be appropriate given the types of statues that currently occupy the grounds. Therefore, design type could either be standing, or enthroned, which would provide perfect equilibrium with the enthroned statue of Queen Victoria.

Standing statue of the Queen erected on the grounds of the Manitoba legislature in July 2010

Standing ConceptOn the Queen’s last visit to Canada in 2010, she came to Toronto for a tour of Queen’s Park and to attend a State Dinner at the Royal York Hotel

• At the dinner the Queen wore an evening dress decorated with maple leafs, the Girls of Britain and Ireland Tiara, Queen Alexandra’s Collet Necklace, the Greville Chandelier Earrings and the Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee Brooch (see top right).

• A possible standing concept* could include a statue of the Queen attired as above, but with some added “drama”/movement to the statue, have the Queen’s Admiral Cloak (see bottom right, inspired by the 1968 portrait by Cecil Beaton) draped very loosely over her shoulders and blowing out behind as in the wind.

• Her Majesty’s right arm and hand might be outstretched slightly, holding up the edge of the cloak.

* This concept was suggested by Russell D. Smith, who was the originator to the idea that a statue of the Queen be erected at Queen’s Park

Enthroned ConceptOn the Royal Visit to Queen’s Park in 1984, organizers brought out the Speaker’s Chair for the Queen to sit on.

There are some very good reasons to consider an enthroned concept:1. As of yet, no statue has been done of an

enthroned Queen. All of them are equestrian or standing.

2. Would provide perfect equilibrium with the adjacent Queen Victoria statue, also enthroned.

3. The Royal Visit of 1984 provides a useful precedent.

4. As the committee is divided on this issue, artists are encouraged to provide a sketch of both a standing and enthroned concept.

SponsorThe Canadian Royal Heritage Trust (CRHT), established in 1994, is the fronting organization/sponsor of the statue project. (Website: http://crht.ca/)

• The Canadian Royal Heritage Trust is a national educational charity, funded by donations, dedicated to preserving, presenting and enhancing the royal heritage of Canada. The Trust is the country’s leading organisation working to expand Canadians’ knowledge of the Crown, and is available to assist students, academics, the media and the general public.

• Inspired by the declaration of the Fathers of Confederation that the Monarchy is “the essential element” of the Canadian Constitution, the Canadian Royal Heritage Trust was established in 1994 to make Canadians aware of their rich democratic heritage as a constitutional monarchy and to broaden their knowledge of the role of the Crown in Canadian society.

• Donations for the statue would be directed to the Queen Elizabeth II Queen’s Park Statue Fund, an account that would be managed and owned by the Trust.

ProcurementProspective sculptor to reply with the following information by October 1, 2015:

                    1. Sketch of Enthroned and Standing Queen 

2. Detailed Timelines to ensure dedication on July 1, 2017

3. Artistic Cost involving the Base and Statue

4. Preferred Casting Company and Type/Quality of Bronze

5. Other (anything else you would like to include)

Major TimelinesJun 2015 – Speaker approved in principle statue projectJuly 2015 – Request for Proposals sent out to Ontario ArtistsAug 2015 – Organizing Committee establishedSep 9, 2015 – Queen becomes longest reigning monarch in Commonwealth and Canadian history. Oct 2015 – Committee reviews proposals, makes recommendations to SpeakerNov 2015 – Queen approves final designDec 2015 – Works begins molding the sculpture

Apr 2016 – Government announces statue project on Queen’s 90th birthday – website goes live!Oct 2016 – Bronze casting beginsMar 2017 – Work on Stone PedestalApr 2017 – Bronze casting endsMay 2017 – Committee orders bronze plaque with statue inscriptionJun 2017 – Statue transported/erected at Queen’s ParkJuly 1, 2017 – Statue of QE2 officially unveiled at Queen’s Park, as part of Royal Visit expected in 2017 on Canada’s 150th anniversary.

Organizing CommitteePresident: Speaker of the Legislature, the Hon. Dave Levac, MPPProject Coordinator: Sergeant-at-Arms, Dennis ClarkQueen’s Park Representatives: MPP from each of the Liberal, PC and NDP party caucuses

Working CommitteeChair: Ted Chudleigh, long-time former MPP, Progressive Conservative Party of OntarioVice-Chair: Michael J. Smith, who spearheaded the successful grassroots veteran’s campaign to restore the “Royal” honour to Canada’s navy and air force – the RCN & RCAF which led to the name restorations of many other regiments/corps of the Canadian ArmyProject Originator: Russell D. Smith, Member, Monarchist League of CanadaTreasurer: Alexander Roman, Canadian Royal Heritage TrustWebsite: Roman Chabursky from Clear ImpressionsMembers at Large: Representatives from the various Loyal Societies of Toronto and Friends of the Canadian Crown

ContactMichael Smith, the Vice-Chair can be reached at:Cell: 416-294-3170Work: 416-212-1063michaeljsmith@rogers.com

Latest statue unveiled 15 June 2015 at Runnymede, England to celebrate 800 years of Magna Carta