Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II had a long and significant connection with Portsmouth, visiting the city on many occasions throughout her life.
These visits marked important moments in Portsmouth’s history, including the Silver Jubilee celebrations in 1977, the return of Falklands troops in 1982, the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar in 2005 and the D‑Day 75 commemorations in 2019. The Queen also reopened Portsmouth Guildhall in 1959 and attended the first operational deployment of HMS Queen Elizabeth in May 2021.
The Queen’s birthday, 21 April 1926, is also the date Portsmouth officially became a city. This shared anniversary is being marked in 2026 as the city celebrates its centenary.
To recognise Queen Elizabeth II’s enduring legacy in Portsmouth, a memorial statue has been proposed. As part of this project, people can donate towards the creation of a permanent memorial. Donations will help fund the commissioning of a high‑quality statue that reflects the importance of the Queen’s connection to the city.
