Memories of the Late Queen Elizabeth shared by members of the
public and those who knew her are now live as part of a milestone
digital archive into her life, and can be viewed at www.queenelizabeth.com.
Also launching today is a fully digitised version of the Court
Circular (Queen Elizabeth's official diary) covering the entirety
of Queen Elizabeth's reign from 1952 to 2022. The digitisation
gives the public a searchable, complete record of her public
engagements and duties across seven decades. The project was
supported by volunteer students from a number of schools, working
with data provided by The Times Online.
His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales was among those to share a
personal memory of his grandmother, recalling having tea with her
and Prince Philip in Windsor Castle when he was young, as his own
contribution to the digital memorial project.
The Queen Elizabeth Digital Memorial, which launched on 21 April
2026, is a Cabinet Office-led project that brings together rich
archive material, photography and video to map key events from
Queen Elizabeth's life and reign, and invites the public from
around the world to contribute their own memories, creating a
lasting public record.
Since launch, personal memories of Queen Elizabeth have been
shared. A first selection of these memories goes live today
through an interactive map, illustrating the remarkable breadth
of her reach: across the United Kingdom. Further memories
will be published during 2026.
I was working as an aircraft handler. I spent 24 years looking
after the Queen's helicopter, and when it had moved to RAF
Odiham. The Queen came to meet the staff. When the chief pilot
introduced me, Her Majesty said What a wonderful job I do and, I
must apologise, they picked me up in a field this morning and
I've dragged grass through the carpet. I said, That's not a
problem, ma'am.
I remember HM Elizabeth II visiting Belfast in 2012 at the
location where I work. She drove through in a cavalcade. I
got a photo of her waving majestically with her famous
white-gloved hand in her passing limousine to the waiting crowds
Of my many memories, that of her riding Burmese in Trooping The
Colour, when shots were fired, is one that stands out to me the
most. I was a teenager at the time, and watching her control
Burmese, calm him down, and then carry on was amazing. The only
sign of something different was a brief moment when she turned
back to look and then gave a smile and a laugh to someone near
her. Her amazing skills as a rider and her determination to keep
going both epitomise the last Queen to me and will always be a
vivid memory.
The digital memorial brings together contributions from some of
the UK's leading cultural and heritage institutions including The
National Archives, Royal Collection, Royal Mint Museum, Royal
Mail, and Press Association. Today, archival material covering
further key moments across the Queen's life and reign is
published on the interactive map for the public to explore.
How to submit a memory
Members of the public are invited to share their own memories of
Queen Elizabeth at www.queenelizabeth.com.
