The statue stands in front of St Paul's Cathedral and is the second, of Queen Anne, to occupy this location. The original became dilapidated due to the weather and was replaced by the current statue. The reason for having a statue of Queen Anne was that she was the reigning monarch in 1710 when the cathedral was completed.
The statue shows a standing figure in white marble on a high, shaped base, of Portland stone. In front the royal coat of arms and at each corner a seated symbolic figure, all on high, stepped base surrounded by heavy cast iron railing. Queen Anne is wearing traditional dress and has a gold crown on her head. In her left hand she has and orb, also gold, and in her right had a septre, also gold.
The four ladies around the base of the statue represent England, France, Ireland and North America, as at that time Anne considered herself to be queen of them all. These four carvings are about life-size and that of Queen Anne is about twice life-size.
On the left (south) side of the plinth is an inscription that reads:
"The original statue / was erected on this spot in the year 1712 / to commemorate the completion of / Saint Pauls Cathedral / Francis Bird sculptor".
On the right (north) side is a further inscription that reads:
"This replica / of the statue of Queen Anne / was erected at the expense of / the Corporation of London / in the year 1886 / The Rt Hon / Sir Reginald Hanson M.A.F.S.A. / Lord Mayor / Wm Braham Esq / Chairman of the City Lands Committee".
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The statue of Queen Anne of Great Britain which stands outside the west front of St. Paul’s Cathedral, shows which monarch ruled England at the time the cathedral was finally finished in 1710. This statue is not the original that was erected in 1712 and made by Francis Bird, but an exact (though some say inferior) replica made by Richard Belt in 1886 as the original had become dilapidated. It is a Grade I listed building, together with St. Paul’s Cathdral.
Anne became Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702, succeeding her brother-in-law, William III of England and II of Scotland.
On 1 May 1707, under the Acts of Union 1707, England and Scotland were united as a single sovereign state, the Kingdom of Great Britain. Anne became its first sovereign, while continuing to hold the separate crown of Queen of Ireland and the title of Queen of France. Anne reigned for twelve years until her death in August 1714. Anne was therefore the last Queen of England and the last Queen of Scots.
Despite her father’s Catholicism, Anne was brought up as a Protestant. On July 28th, 1683, Anne married Prince George of Denmark. She got pregnant on seventeen occasions but only gave birth to five living children all of whom died in childhood. Anne never enjoyed good health and this got worse as she got older. She died on 1 August 1714.
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