Diana statue unveiled
Princes William and Harry unveil statue of Princess Diana to honor their late mother’s place in history, marking her 60th birthday.
Princes William and Harry put aside their differences Thursday to unveil a statue of Princess Diana, cementing their late mother’s place in royal history on what would have been her 60th birthday.
Diana’s three siblings joined the brothers for the private ceremony in the Sunken Garden at London’s Kensington Palace, a place the princess once found solace. It was only the second time the brothers have appeared together in public since Harry stepped aside from royal duties over a year ago.
The statue, which shows a larger-than-life Diana surrounded by three children, was commissioned by the brothers in 2017. The style of her dress is meant to evoke the final period of her life, when she gained confidence in her humanitarian work.
“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,” William and Harry said in a joint statement. “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.”
The statue is “immensely significant” because it underscores the brothers’ effort to portray Diana as someone who connected with the people and modernized the monarchy, said Robert Lacey, a historian and author of “Battle of Brothers: William, Harry and the Inside Story of a Family in Tumult.” Traditionalists had criticized her as having undermined centuries of tradition.
Royal watchers who hoped the unveiling ceremony would provide insight into the state of William and Harry’s strained relationship were likely to have been disappointed. Video released after the event showed the brothers entering the garden together before talking with family members and then pulling two ropes to remove the cover from the statue.
In their only other recent appearance together the pair seemed to chat amiably after the funeral for their grandfather, Prince Philip. But later reports indicated there was little progress in easing the rift.