Walking Side by Side
While Prince Harry told Oprah Winfrey he and Prince William were on "different paths," he also noted he "loves him to bits"—and their coming together is a true reminder of that.
Getting Ready for the Reveal
The statue of Princess Diana was commissioned by the Duke of Cambridge and the Duke of Sussex in 2017, 20 years after their mother's death in 1997.
Unveiling the Statue
Not only was the statue placed in the Sunken Garden, Diana's favorite Kensington Palace spot, but a press release revealed it's also surrounded by more than 4,000 individual flowers—including roses, tulips, lavender plants, dahlias, sweet peas and forget-me-nots, Diana's favorite.
"This has been a very special project to work on," Pip Morrison, who designed the new layout, said in a statement, later adding, "We have worked carefully to ensure that the new layout and planting scheme compliments the statue, providing a calming place for people who visit Kensington Palace to remember The Princess."
Honoring Diana
The palace's press release noted the statue is meant "to reflect the warmth, elegance and energy of Diana, Princess of Wales, in addition to her work and the impact she had on so many people. The figure of Diana, Princess of Wales is surrounded by three children who represent the universality and generational impact of The Princess' work. 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."
Taking in the Tribute
Underneath the statue is a pedestal that's engraved with the Princess of Wales' name and the date of the unveiling. There's also a paving stone in the front, the press release continued, that features an extract from the poem The Measure of A Man, which was included in the program for a memorial service on the 10th anniversary of Diana's death. It reads:
"These are the units to measure the worth
Of this woman as a woman regardless of birth.
Not what was her station?
But had she a heart?
How did she play her God-given part?"
Talking Together
Literally larger than life: The press release noted the statue, cast by Castle Fine Arts Foundry "in a traditional 'lost-wax' process with a patina of a bluish green over black," is about one-and-a-quarter the size of the beloved princess.
Embracing Family
Harry and William weren't the only ones at the unveiling. Diana's sisters, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes, also attended and received hugs from the dukes.
Greeting Their Uncle
Diana's brother, The Earl Spencer, also made the trip, greeting Harry and William with a warm handshake.
Speaking With the Statue Committee
Among the other attendees: Sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley, landscape designer Pip Morrison, chair of historic royal palaces Rupert Gavin, and Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, former private secretary to Harry, William and Kate Middleton. Gavin and Lowther-Pinkerton sat in on the statue committee and chatted with the Duke of Cambridge and Duke of Sussex at the July 1 event.