Brighton is a city characterised by its abundance of culture and architecture. At a distance, it is easy to make out the shape of the i360, the Pavilion and even Brighton Dome, but often neglected in the list of Brighton landmarks, is the Peace Statue (otherwise referred to as ‘The Angel’) that marks the border between Brighton and Hove. The statue may be a mere 30ft tall, which is relatively small in comparison to other landmarks, but its origins are a story that should not go unrecognised.

Depicting an angel holding both an orb and an olive branch, the Peace Statue is officially known as the King Edward Memorial, built to commemorate the reign of Edward VII from 1841-1910. The design of the statue explicitly refers to Edward’s nickname ‘The Peacemaker’, which he received after charming the French leaders during Prime Minister Balfour’s 1903 visit to France, which paved the way for many treaties to come and led to Britain and France becoming official allies with the 1904 Entente Cordiale. Not only was King Edward deemed as an international hero, but he was also respected greatly in the domestic English realm, inventing the modern style of royal appearances and granting a royal charter for the University of Sheffield in 1905. Edward visited Brighton frequently, convalescing there several times and this is arguably what gave the city its fashionable reputation.

The Peace Statue was sculpted in bronze by Newbury Trent, a sculptor who studied at the Royal College of Art and specialized in war memorials, creating many that were similar to ‘The Angel’. Whilst in the process of being created, a temporary wooden version of the statue stood in its place. When unveiled by the Duke of Norfolk in October 1912, it was revealed to be on a Portland stone pedestal and bearing the arms of both Brighton and Hove. The remainder of the memorial fund post construction was devoted to the provision of a care home for the Queen's Nurses in Wellington Road, Brighton.

According to local legends, the Peace Statue was originally intended to be facing the sea so that ships and boats could see it when they passed. However, it was decided that the angel should face the town so that people could see its face. Instead of being a symbol of peace for the outside world, it serves as a representation of national harmony and unity in England.