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RICHMOND, VA – Governor Glenn Youngkin and First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin joined the nonprofit Friends of the Washington Statue (FWS) alongside dignitaries from both the United States and the United Kingdom to rededicate Trafalgar Square’s famed George Washington statue. The statue was originally gifted by the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1914 to commemorate the Centennial of the Treaty of Ghent—a Treaty that marked the end of hostilities and the beginning not only of peace, but of an enduring friendship between the two nations. The Washington statue was finally unveiled in Trafalgar Square in 1921, after British and American soldiers fought side by side in the trenches of the First World War.
“George Washington, the Father of our Country, is a pioneering figure not just in American history, but in the story of democracy itself,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “His leadership and integrity continue to inspire across borders and generations. Rededicating the gift of the George Washington statue from the Commonwealth of Virginia to the United Kingdom is a powerful reminder of the deep relationship between our two great nations. The statue represents the special relationship between the U.K. and the U.S. and underscores the long history of cooperation, mutual respect, and shared values and ideas.”
“As Honorary Chair of FWS, I am deeply moved by this moment—one in which we ensure that the Washington statue stands tall as a symbol of the camaraderie and convictions that guide and unite our two nations,” said First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin, Honorary Chair of FWS. “May it be a timeless reminder that friendship rooted in shared values can shape the course of generations to come.”
“Today, we not only celebrate a historic gift from the Commonwealth of Virginia, but we also affirm the enduring partnership between the United States and the United Kingdom,” said FWS President and Board Chair John Gerber. “Friends of the Washington Statue is honored to have played a role in preserving this symbol of unity, freedom, and shared legacy for generations to come.”
The Washington statue in Trafalgar Square is an exact replica of the statue in the Virginia State Capitol by the French artist Jean-Antoine Houdon, which was commissioned by Virginia in 1784 at the recommendation of Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin who were serving then as Ambassadors to France. The statue was made to honor George Washington’s decision to resign his military commission and return to his Mount Vernon estate as a private citizen. The rare decision to relinquish power came as a shock to many on both sides of the Atlantic, with King George III reportedly telling Benjamin West, the American-born artist, that if Washington did so, “he would be the greatest man in the world.”
With Wednesday’s unveiling 104 years after the original dedication by a Virginia delegation, the Governor and First Lady shared that FWS raised funds to refurbish the bronze replica of the famous Jean-Antonine Statue of George Washington which has stood in the Capitol rotunda in Richmond, Virginia from 1796 to today. Further, FWS collaborated with Baron Foster of Thames Bank, one of England’s leading architects, to design and install a new high-quality pedestal bearing the words ‘To Our Common Ideals and Principles, To Our Common Sacrifices, Rededicated in Honor of Our Enduring Friendship 2025.’ Offering a new twist, the plinth includes a time capsule that will be opened in 2276, the 500th anniversary of American independence. In addition to a proclamation from Governor Youngkin and essays on “freedom” submitted by Virginia students, the capsule contains a letter from the President of Washington & Lee University, names of the project’s donors, and soil transported from George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate.
More information about the statue unveiling and the Friends of the Washington Statue (FWS) can be found here.
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