Statues are physical representations of a person, to commemorate and remember them for years to come — but sometimes they don’t turn out quite as expected.
Yesterday, a pair of giant corgis commissioned in memory of the late Queen, set tongues wagging after they were unveiled in Walsall Arboretum.
Walsall Council, which is aiming to save £20m this year and has raised council tax by 4.99 per cent, spent a whopping £35,000 on the sculptures.
People criticised the Council’s decision to spend a five-figure sum on the installation incorporating water bowls for dogs.
One woman on Facebook wrote: ‘I could perhaps understand a statue of the late Queen, but her dogs? Spending on anything like this when services are being cut is ridiculous.’
And its not the first time that Royal statues have faced criticism. Here, MailOnline has put together a round up of some other monuments that have split public opinion.
A pair of giant corgis commissioned in memory of the late Queen, set tongues wagging after they were unveiled in Walsall Arboretum
A group of passersby appear unimpressed with the new 4.5ft high, 5ft-long sculptures
The £35,000 artwork, which feature water bowls at the base of the cast metal dogs’ plinths, were revealed at Walsall Arboretum
Prince Philip
A £150,000 13-ft bronze sculpture called ‘The Don’, was unveiled earlier this year, supposedly representing Prince Philip in his role as Vice Chancellor of Cambridge University.
But the £150,000 13-ft bronze sculpture received backlash after Cambridge City Council’s public art officer, Nadine Black, said it was possibly ‘the poorest quality work that has ever been submitted to the council’, while another critic dubbed it ‘detritus masquerading as public art’.
A controversial sculpture in Cambridge depicting Prince Philip received backlash after it was described by the city council as ‘possibly the poorest quality work’ ever submitted
A plaque under the sculpture reads: ‘HRH Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh, Chancellor University of Cambridge 1977-2011’
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh pictured in the quadrangle of Windsor Castle ahead of his 99th birthday
The plaque under the sculpture reads: ‘HRH Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh, Chancellor University of Cambridge 1977-2011.’
Cambridge City Council issued an enforcement notice for the statue to be removed soon after the unveiling, stating it did not have planning permission.
Councillor Katie Thornburrow previously said nobody ‘seems to have a good word to say about it’ and she will ‘be glad to see it gone.’
Phil Rodgers, a political commentator and former Liberal Democrat election agent, said the sculpture was an ‘eyesore’.
He said on X : ‘Fantastic news … that an enforcement notice has been served to remove this eyesore in Hills Road.’
The statue has now been removed.
Queen Elizabeth II
This gigantic 12ft terracotta head is actually meant to resemble the late Queen Elizabeth II — and what’s more, there is one of her husband Prince Philip too.
Owner Ben Bennett found the regal sculptures in a house clearance and erected them on his lawn in Windsor.
After owning them for 12 years since the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, Mr Bennett put them up for sale for £2,000 in March this year. It appears as though they are still up for grabs.
So if you’d like to snatch these sculptures for your own garden, you better hurry.
Make sure you have plenty of space though, as they are 18 feet wide.
This gigantic 12ft terracotta head is actually meant to resemble the late Queen Elizabeth II – and what’s more, there is one of her husband Prince Philip too
Owner Ben Bennett found the regal sculptures in a house clearance and erected them on his lawn in Windsor
Meanwhile, a bronze sculpture meant to depict Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip and two corgis triggered outrage last month as the public insisted it looked nothing like them.
The controversial statue was created by north Belfast artist Anto Brennan, known for his chess sets of prominent Northern Irish political figures, and was unveiled in Antrim Castle Gardens.
But locals hit out at the piece, with one saying ‘Whoever signed that off needs their eyes tested’.
A bronze sculpture meant to depict Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip and two corgis triggered outrage last month as the public insisted it looked nothing like them
Others said the prince and dogs ‘look nice’ but the figure meant to be the late Queen doesn’t look like her and there’s ‘something not right’ about it.
Comments on a Facebook post announcing the sculpture have been turned off after a flood of mocking remarks – with one person saying the Queen looked more like Mrs Doubtfire from the 1993 comedy starring Robin Williams.
Today, a new life-size bronze sculpture of Queen Elizabeth II in a small Hampshire town caused a difference of opinion online.
The work was originally commissioned for Andover by Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC) to commemorate the Platinum Jubilee in 2022.
However, the sculpture, unveiled last Friday, has drawn both praise as a fitting tribute to the Queen and as a misplaced use of local authority funds.
The piece, created by artist Amy Goodman, depicts the monarch in her later years, and is described as wearing a robe adorned with pictures inspired by the community.
A new life-size bronze sculpture of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in a small Hampshire town has caused a difference of opinion online
The piece, created by artist Amy Goodman, depicts the monarch in her later years, and is described as wearing a robe adorned with pictures inspired by the community
Amy worked with the local community and schools to capture important memories of the Queen and her links to the town and used these to create the artwork.
Online reaction on an Andover Facebook forum has been mixed. Positive comments included: ‘Stunning. Please let it be respected both for the Majesty she was and for the amazing artist who recreated her regalness!’
Another person added: ‘In my life I can only remember Queen Elizabeth and she ruled this country and loved its people. This is a great statue and I hope it will remain intact and never vandalised. A wonderful work by the sculpture..’
However, several made their negative reaction clear:
One person said: ‘Empty shops, homeless, potholes.. I’m sure they could have spent the money better.’
‘God awful statue. Terrible quality and likeness. Gross waste of public funds from an incompetent council that can’t even provide a basic level of service,’ said another.
Online reaction to the statue on an Andover Facebook forum has been mixed
Leader of Test Valley Borough Council, Councillor Phil North, said: ‘This was an incredibly special occasion, and it was an honour that the Lord-Lieutenant, as the personal representative of His Majesty the King in Hampshire, officially unveiled the new sculpture.’
‘The occasion of Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee was a unique moment in British history and as well as facilitating street parties and beacon lightings, we felt that it was incumbent on us to provide something long lasting to mark that moment, not just for us but for generations to come.
‘The artwork stands as a tribute to Her Majesty’s exceptional reign and legacy, as well as the Andover community that helped to shape the final piece.’
The cost of the statues has not been revealed, although an Andover Advertiser newspaper article from 2022 reported a previous tender process for the project saw the contract ‘worth £200,000’.
Test Valley Borough Council has been contacted regarding the cost of the statue contract.
Princess Diana
In 2021, a statue of Princess Diana at Kensington Palace faced backlash after a radio presenter claimed it looked like Ken Barlow.
TalkRADIO DJ Mr O’Sullivan said the statue looks like Barlow during a phone-in with art critic Estelle Lovatt.
She said: ‘It’s a bland, lifeless, soulless sculpture. She looks like she’s been doing press ups and showing off her cleavage.’
And the presenter simply replied: ‘It looks like Ken Barlow.’
His comments came as art critics panned the sculpture as ‘an awkward, lifeless shrine’ and a ‘spiritless hunk of nonsense’ in withering reviews.
Art critics laid into the new statue to Princess Diana after it was unveiled at Kensington Palace
Jonathan Jones, writing in the Guardian, was scathing of the design, branding it: ‘A nauseating, spiritless and characterless hunk of nonsense’
Some said creator Ian Rank-Broadley made her ‘look grumpy’ and his work ‘doesn’t capture her magic’.
But one, who admitted it was ‘a little twee and far from perfect’, welcomed the fact it looked like the late Princess of Wales.
Another statue of Princess Diana received a wave of backlash in 2001 after it was dubbed ‘creepy and demonic’ by some critics.
The statue had stood outside Walsh Funerals & Memorials on Park Road, since 2001, until it was moved this year.
A statue of Princess Diana received a wave of backlash in 2001 after it was dubbed ‘creepy and demonic’ by some critics
The £10,000 statue, called ‘Black Diana’, divided opinion when it was first unveiled with one local MP stating it ‘looked more like Diana Ross’.
However, Jake Walsh of Walsh Funerals & Memorials said the sculpture also received a ‘lot of good feedback’ from locals at the time.
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