Photograph of the Victoria Memorial as seen from the memorial gardens. In the left of the middle ground is the King Edward VII Arch featuring King Edward VII on horseback.

The Victoria memorial is built from Makrana marble and features 25 galleries. Its design mirrors that of the Taj Mahal in Agra and was built between 1906 and 1921. The Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon of Kedleston, conceived the idea of building a memorial to the Queen on her death in 1901. The equestrian statue of King Edward VII is made of bronze and stands to the south of the memorial. The statue was designed by the Australian sculptor, Betram Mackennal. The Victoria memorial was opened by Prince Edward of Wales in December 1921 as one of the official duties that he performed during his tour of India.  

On October 26 1921, Edward, Prince of Wales left Portsmouth to begin a tour of the Indian Subcontinent and Japan that covered 41,000 miles, lasting 8 months. Prince Edward spent four months in India, travelling from Bombay to Calcutta and then from Madras to Karachi. As the British Empire's Ambassador, the Prince visited India on behalf of his father King George V, to thank the nation for the essential role it had played during the First World War. Moreover, the visit was intended to strengthen links between Britain and its Empire at a time of increasing calls for Indian independence.