Elizabeth Park has been developed through a partnership between Warwick District Council and Homes England. Once complete, it will create a wonderful new public space for Leamington and Warwick, as well as an attractive, traffic-free route between the two towns for pedestrians and cyclists.

Phase one of this new public park opened in 2026, named in memory of the late Queen Elizabeth II. The monarch had a well-documented love of nature and passion for trees. Known to be among her favourites were English oak, of which there is a mature tree at the Princes Drive entrance and tulip trees, which have been included in the new planting. Across the UK over three million trees were planted as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy during her 2022 Platinum Jubilee year.

Princes Drive has played an important role in the history of Royal Leamington Spa, reflecting the town's Victorian engineering, industry and transport heritage.

The area was once home to Leamington's Victorian sewage treatment works and pumping station, while the nearby Imperial (later Ford) Foundry was a major local employer until its closure in 2008. Its former car park has since been transformed into Foundry Wood, a volunteer-led community woodland.

Princes Drive is also home to several historic landmarks, including the 16-arch Milverton Railway Viaduct, the Art Deco Prince's Bridge, opened by Edward, Prince of Wales, in 1923, and Edmondscote Weir, built in the 1860s as part of improvements to the River Leam.

The park sits alongside the River Leam, an important wildlife corridor linking to the River Avon and Grand Union Canal, with nearby nature reserves upstream and Warwick Castle downstream.

The River Leam's mineral springs helped transform Leamington into a popular spa destination from the late 18th century. As visitor numbers grew, the town expanded across the river with the creation of the elegant Regency "New Town", earning Royal Leamington Spa its royal status in 1838.