… and their father EARL SPENCER praises the gardeners honouring his sister’s memory
HAILS THE ‘HEROES’ BEHIND THE REVAMPED PALACE GARDEN
After the unveiling of the statue of his sister Diana, Princess of Wales, Earl Spencer has paid tribute to the team behind the stunning garden in which it stands. Diana’s younger brother hailed the workers, led by Historic Royal Palaces’ gardens and estates operations manager Graham Dillamore, as “heroes” for the makeover they had given the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace. Sharing a photo of Graham and another team member in front of the memorial on Instagram, he wrote: “The Kensington Palace Sunken Garden’s gardeners – heroes that I met today. “Graham was gardener here in the 1980s,” he added. “He said to me this afternoon: ‘I loved your sister. And I promise to look after this garden to the best of my ability, till the day I have to move on.’ And I believe him.’’ Created by sculptor Ian Rank- Broadley and unveiled by her sons the Dukes of Cambridge and Sussex, the garden’s new statue shows Diana alongside three children and looks out over an ornamental pond, lawns and an abundance of flowers in cream and pastel shades to create a peaceful atmosphere.
Princes William and Harry said they hoped it “will be seen forever as a symbol of her life and legacy... strength and character”.
Since the unveiling on 1 July, the day that would have been Diana’s 60th birthday, the statue has been seen by hundreds of visitors every day, with many also heading to view her wedding dress on display at Kensington Palace.
“The fact so many of our visitors come to Kensington Palace to hear more about Diana, Princess of Wales is testament to her enduring and powerful legacy,’’ a spokesman for Historic Royal Palaces tells
‘I loved your sister and I promise to look after this garden to the best of my ability’