OHMYGOSSIP — Queen Elizabeth is to unveil a statue of the late Queen Mother in Poundbury in Dorset on October 27.
The 90-year-old monarch will be joined by Prince Philip, the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall when they make a visit to the country town in south west England to unveil the special tribute to the late royal, who died in March 2002 at the age of 101, at the town’s Queen Mother Square.
The Mayor of Dorchester, Tim Harries said: “I am very much looking forward to the royal visit, it is great for the town and will be a historic event as it is the first time the Queen, along with her husband, Prince Charles and his wife have all visited together.
We were asked at our last council meeting if we were happy to take over the responsibility of the statue, which we have graciously accepted, and are grateful that it will now become part of the town fabric.”
The bronze statue is a replica of the one which stands on the Mall in London of her when she was 51-years old.
Margaret Morrisey, who was given an OBE by HRH, told Bournemouth Echo newspaper of the planned visit: “We are all very honoured and excited to have Her Majesty visit Dorchester to celebrate the unveiling of the Prince Charles’ beloved Grandmothers statue and the opening of Queen Mother Square.
“I met the Queen 50 years ago in Westminster Cathedral at the celebrate the International Year of the Child with my son of three.
“As the Queen approached he said ‘That’s no the Queen she has no crown on’, the Queen smiled at him and said, ‘If I had known you were coming I would have worn my crown.”
The Queen last visited Poundbury in 2009 where she was given a guided tour of Weymouth and Portland.