Diana statue: William, Harry reunite for their mother
Prince Harry and Prince William have reunited to honour their mother, and issued a moving statement saying they “wish she were still with us”.
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There was a glimmer of sunshine on Thursday as the storm clouds finally broke above Kensington Palace.
Prince Harry and Prince William reunited for the first time since April, to unveil a statue of their mother, and the forecast at last looked warmer for the frosty duo.
The brothers, who have been embroiled in an ongoing feud, smiled and laughed with each other as they arrived as a united front at the private event.
“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,” a joint statement from the brothers read following the ceremony.
“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.
“Thank you to Ian Rank-Broadley, Pip Morrison and their teams for their outstanding work, to the friends and donors who helped make this happen, and to all those around the world who keep our mother’s memory alive.”
William, 39, and Harry, 36, came together for the first time since Prince Philip’s funeral, in the garden at Kensington Palace, to mark what would have been Diana’s 60th birthday.
The statue was covered in a dark green cloth before the brothers together unveiled it in Kensington Palace’s Sunken Garden – where the boys used to play when they were young and where Harry and Meghan posed for their engagement announcement in November 2017.
Although originally planned as an event with 100 guests, pandemic rules meant it was a small private affair.
The statue was created by British sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley, whose image of the Queen is on all UK coins.
Beneath the commissioned piece, a plaque 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?”
Joining William and Harry on Thursday afternoon was Diana’s brother Charles, Earl Spencer, sisters Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Jane, Baroness Fellowes along with artist Ian and garden designer Pip Morrison.
Crowds had gathered outside the palace all morning, festooning the gates with floral and pictorial tributes to Diana, on her birthday.
The brothers had initially aimed to install the statue in 2017, to mark 20 years since their mother died in 1997, but according to royal insiders, the process proved lengthier and more complicated, particularly as their relationship foundered.
But all of that was forgotten as William and Harry stood together again, to honour their mother.
“They are brothers who are united in their love for their mother,” says Brittani Barger, deputy editor of Royal Central.
“The ceremony will help a little in mending the rift between William and Harry.”
Meghan did not attend because she only gave birth to daughter Lilibet a month ago and Catherine is thought to have been hard at work ensuring the brothers have been talking to each other during Harry’s visit.
The pair are reported to have messaged each other through the week, bonding over England’s football success in the UEFA European Championship on Tuesday at Wembley, which William, Catherine and Prince George attended. So it’s hoped they will also score a peace deal.
“They will hopefully broker some sort of peace,” says The UK Telegraph’s royal reporter Camilla Tominey.
The stunning statue overlooks one of Diana’s favourite spots and her sons have also brought the garden into blazing life, filling it with flowers loved by their mother.
Over 4000 flowers have been planted of 50 varieties, including 100 forget-me-nots – Diana’s favourite – 300 tulips, 500 lavenders, 200 roses, 100 dahlias and 50 sweet peas.
Gardeners have been working on it for two years.
“This has been a very special project to work on, as the Sunken Garden was a favourite place of Diana, Princess of Wales,” said estate gardener, Graham Dillamore, adding she “regularly admired the changing floral displays in the Sunken Garden and would always stop to talk with me and the other gardeners who cared for it.”
It’s hoped it might help William and Harry’s relationship flourish, too.
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Originally published as Diana statue: William, Harry reunite for their mother
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