William and Harry are working together again
Just seeing Princes William and Harry in the same space is rare enough these days, let alone at an event they organised together. But that's where we found ourselves Thursday -- at the unveiling of the statue of Diana, Princess of Wales. The two were intimately involved in the design of the long-awaited artwork and the redesign of the Sunken Garden around it.
According to Kensington Palace, this was one of Diana's "favourite locations" and it's where the young princes played growing up. The poignancy and nostalgia of the moment weren't lost on anyone.
For the first time since Harry left Kensington Palace to set up his own household with Meghan, the brothers issued a joint statement: "Today, on what would have been our Mother's 60th birthday, we remember her love, strength and character -- qualities that made her a force for good around the world, changing countless lives for the better.
"Every day, we wish she were still with us, and our hope is that this statue will be seen forever as a symbol of her life and her legacy."
Memorialising and commemorating their mother and her impact on society is an incredibly important mission for the brothers. They knew everyone would be watching how they interacted and set the tone of the event by entering in conversation and with broad smiles on their faces. They appeared at ease, warmly greeting their aunts -- Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes -- with kisses before laughing and joking with family and guests at the small ceremony.
At times it almost felt like it once was -- brothers standing shoulder to shoulder, firmly focused on a single goal. Harry seemed a little more relaxed than his brother, making a few quips and gestures to invitees and engaging in some light banter.
But that was like old times, too ... Harry the joker, against William's more reserved positioning as king-in-waiting.
They co-commissioned the artwork in 2017 from the sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley and wanted it to "reflect the warmth, elegance and energy of the Princess in addition to her work and the impact she had on so many people," according to Kensington Palace.
She is seen surrounded by three children, who "represent the universality and generational impact of The Princess' work," with the brothers choosing to cast their mother's image "based on the final period of her life as she gained confidence in her role as an ambassador for humanitarian causes."
In a low-key but tightly choreographed event, the brothers each took a corner of the fabric covering the statue and revealed their mother immortalized in bronze. They looked at each other, clearly pleased with how it had all played out.
They had worked together on every aspect of the project, with their teams coordinating the media arrangements at the unveiling, and both appeared to get what they wanted out of it.
Make no mistake, the issues that have pulled the brothers apart remain. Thursday's event will not have magically resolved the challenges they share or the fact that they are "on different paths at the moment." But it did feel like a coming together for the two brothers. They have grown apart personally but are still able to work together professionally for common causes -- and the one thing that will always unite the estranged siblings is keeping their mother's exceptional legacy alive.
Courtesy CNN