The bishop of Peterborough has blessed a statue of the late Queen Elizabeth II, the first to be erected since her passing almost two years ago.

Rt Rev Debbie Sellin unveiled the seven-foot-bronze statue on Sunday, along with the Monarch’s Representative in the county of Rutland, Lord-Lieutenant Dr Sarah Furness, and local MP Alicia Kearns.

Elli Dean Photography

Created by sculptor Hywel Pratley, the statue shows her late Majesty in mid-life in full regal dress. To highlight her warmth and humanity, the design intentionally includes three corgis, her beloved dogs.

Speaking at the event on Sunday, Lord-Lieutenant Furness said she was grateful at the speed by which the funds had been raised.

“Rutland might be a small county but the response to the idea of a memorial statue has been huge,” she said. “All the money raised has been through voluntary contributions, and over 98 per cent of it has come from individuals and businesses.”

She continued: “When Her Majesty died, the world paused. I was inundated with emails, letters, and phone calls. People were shocked at her death. Her Majesty provided us all with a sense of stability and continuity. As head of state, she gave us national identity. More than that, her warmth and wisdom meant that people felt her loss very personally. The strength of response gave me the idea for a statue and I’m delighted that the funds have been raised so quickly.”

Elli Dean Photography

Members of the Welsh Corgi League also attended the event attend in celebration of the late Queen’s life-long love of animals and her special relationship with Corgis.

The statue was made using local materials and businesses where possible to minimise environmental impact and costs. Mounted on local Ancaster limestone, the bronze statue was cast at the local Le Blanc foundry in Melton Mowbray and installed with the help of local construction company Smithers Purslow.