The King praised the final design for the national memorial to Queen Elizabeth II as “fantastic” on what would have been his mother’s 100th birthday.
Charles and Camilla viewed a scale model of the tribute at the British Museum on Tuesday, and maquettes of the late monarch and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh.
The King told architect Lord Foster: “It’s a wonderful idea for the bridge to be based on the Russian fringe tiara, the one that my mama wore at her wedding”.
He described the memorial, set for St James’s Park in central London, as “fantastic” and praised the idea to add “subtle lighting” at night to the new Queen Elizabeth Bridge, which will replace the current Blue Bridge.
Camilla also remarked on the glass and steel bridge, inspired by the Queen’s wedding tiara also known as the Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara, saying: “I love that bridge. It’s just lovely. It has a lovely twinkle.”
She expressed surprise when told by Lord Foster that the bridge will eventually be lifted into place overnight so as not to disturb use of the park.
The Queen called the plan “extraordinary”.
The King was also shown a likeness of his mother, in the form of a maquette which depicts Elizabeth II as a young woman in her 20s in her Order of the Garter robes.
Sculptor Martin Jennings told him the bronze statue, which on its plinth will eventually stand seven metres tall, will be positioned with the Queen’s head “slightly turned to catch the evening light”.
Charles was told the figure showed the Queen in the early years of her reign, with the King saying “yes, absolutely”.
The Duchess of Edinburgh, who was joined by the Duke of Edinburgh and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester at the event, declared it was how the late Queen would like to be remembered in her younger days.
“It’s a lovely statue. It’s how she would like to be remembered as a young woman,” Sophie said.
She added as she examined the maquette on its plinth: “It’s quite high.”
Jennings revealed it would be the same height as the statue of George V outside Westminster Abbey.
A maquette of the King’s father Philip, around the same age as the Queen’s, shows the duke in his naval uniform with his hands behind his back.
It prompted a chuckle from Charles when Jennings described Philip as a “tall, thin figure”.
Full-scale versions of the statues will form part of the permanent memorial in the park, close to Buckingham Palace, with the national tribute set to be completed in 2028.
The area will also incorporate a family of gardens with meandering paths, a Commonwealth Wind Sculpture by artist Yinka Shonibare, and a bust of the Queen in her 50s or 60s by sculptor Karen Newman on Birdcage Walk.
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