Earlier today at the Sunken Garden, Kensington Palace, Prince William and Harry unveiled a memorial statue in honor of their late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales.
The unveiling was a private event attended by the Windsor brothers and other close members of Diana’s family, including Charles Spencer, Lady Sarah McCorquodale, and Lady Jane Fellowes. It marked the 60th anniversary of Diana’s birth on July 1, 1961.
However, the Queen, Prince Charles, Kate Middleton, and her three children, Prince George, Prince Charlotte, and Prince Louis, did not attend.
Monsters & Critics reported that Harry returned alone to the U.K. to attend the event. His wife Meghan Markle and children, Archie and Lilibet, stayed back in California.
Harry and William presented a united front at the Diana statue unveiling event
The two brothers defied previous expectations by presenting a united front at the unveiling ceremony.
Despite recent rumors of a widening rift between them, Harry and William issued a joint statement to mark their late mother’s 60th birthday. They eulogized Diana for her good deeds and thanked people who contributed to the project’s success, including sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley and landscape architect Pip Morrison.
Morrison redesigned the Sunken Garden where Diana’s memorial statue is located.
“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,” read the statement the brothers issued after the unveiling ceremony, according to Express. “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.”
William and Harry first announced joint plans to unveil a memorial statue in honor of their mother in August 2017. They continued working together on the project despite their strained relationship in the wake of Megxit.
Diana statue shows Princess of Wales with three children
The bronze statue depicts Princess Diana standing with three children. She is shown with her arms around two of the children’s shoulders while a third child stands in the background.
“The figure of Diana, Princess of Wales, is surrounded by three children who represent the universality and generational impact of the Princess’s work,” Kensington Palace said in a statement.
“The portrait and style of dress was based on the final period of her life, as she gained confidence in her role as an ambassador for humanitarian causes and aims to convey her character and compassion,” the statement added.
“We wanted to capture her warmth and humanity while showcasing the impact she had across generations,” Ian Rank-Broadley, the designer and creator of the statue, said. “I hope that people will enjoy visiting the statue and the Sunken Garden and taking a moment to remember the Princess.”
Royal watchers noted that the statue appears to have been inspired by a widely circulated photo that William and Harry snapped with their mom back in 1988 while vacationing in Spain as guests of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia at the Marivent Palace in Mallorca.