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The Archbishop of York to Unveil and Bless York Minster’s New Statue of Her Majesty the Queen on Friday 23rd September

A statue of Her Majesty the Queen, designed and carved by York Minster stone mason Richard Bossons, will be officially blessed and then unveiled by the Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, at the West Front of the cathedral on Friday 23rd September.

Earlier in the afternoon, Archbishop Stephen will view Sculpting the Monarch, a new exhibition in the Minster’s North Transept, which tells the story of the making of the statue. A spectacular full-sized model of the statue will dominate the exhibition.

The statue was commissioned by the Chapter of York, the governing body for York Minster, to mark Her Majesty the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee – the first British monarch to reign for 70 years. The statue honours her life of service and dedication to the nation and the Commonwealth.

The statue was installed in its niche on the West Front of the Minster on 2nd August. For the unveiling ceremony, the statue will be covered by a large cloth. Archbishop Stephen will bless the statue and then pull a cord to reveal the spectacular work to the world.

Archbishop Stephen said: “I’m looking forward to unveiling the statue of HM The Queen and thrilled that York Minster has commissioned this statue as part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations. The Queen has been a wonderful beacon of hope, integrity, stability, and unity for our country and beyond. Few of us remember a monarch before her. This stability is a reassuring and encouraging presence in the midst of so much change.”

The sculpture was designed and carved by Richard Bossons of the York Minster Stoneyard, with advice and support from York Minster’s Fabric Advisory Committee (FAC), the Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England (CFCE) and The Royal Collections Trust. Buckingham Palace was informed of the project.

The vision to create a statue has been a core element of the York Minster Precinct Neighbourhood Plan since its inception in 2018. It is the first phase of a wider scheme of urban regeneration at the West Front of the Minster to create a new public square and civic space. Queen Elizabeth Square will be the first new public square in York in 200 years.

The blessing and unveiling of the statue will be followed by a special service of Evensong at 17:30. All are welcome.