Queen Elizabeth II Funeral: history of Wellington Arch, where in London is it - and when was it built?

The arch has a colourful history and has been an eye catching memorial in the capital for nearly two centuries
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II has been taken from Westminster Abbey via a horse drawn hearse to Windsor Castle however the procession had to make one very special stop along the way.

This stop is Wellington Arch, a monument that stands in London near to the Abbey.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The arch has historical significance, and it is the last time the coffin of Queen Elizbeth II will be seen in London.

It was originally built as an entrance to Buckingham Palace, and has been one of the most recognisable landmarks in London for almost 200 years.

Here’s what you need to know about Wellingon Arch, including who is memorialised by the monument and where in London it is located.

Where is Wellington Arch?

Wellington Arch is located on Apsley Way, near to Hyde Park and very close to Hyde Park Corner underground station.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It was completed in the late 1820s in its original location near Buckingham Palace.

Who is the arch in memory of?

Wellington Arch was originally built to commemorate the Duke of Wellington’s victory over the French dictator Napoleon Bonaparte in the early 19th century.

The arch did have a model of the Duke of Wellington on top of it, but the arch was moved in the 1880s and until the 1890s it had no sculpture on top of it.

According to English Heritage, “in 1891 the sculptor Adrian Jones (1845–1938), a former army veterinary captain who specialised in animal figures, exhibited a magnificent plaster group at the Royal Academy entitled ‘Triumph’, of a quadriga (a four-horse chariot).

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Prince of Wales suggested that it would make a suitable adornment for the rebuilt Wellington Arch.”

Through the early 20th century the routes to Buckingham Palace were redesigned.

The park-keeper’s residence closed in 1937, while the police station, said to be the smallest in London, survived until the late 1950s

In 2001, two years after it was handed to English Heritage, it was opened to the public.

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.