Princes William, Harry reunite to unveil Statue of Princess Diana

William and Harry unite to unveil Diana statue at Kensington Palace

Princes William and Harry set aside their differences on Thursday to unveil a new statue of their mother, Princess Diana, on what would have been her 60th birthday. The brothers took the wraps off the bronze likeness in the sunken garden of Diana’s former London home at Kensington Palace, in a stripped-back ceremony due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“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,” they said in a statement. They said they hoped the statue would “be seen forever as a symbol of her life and her legacy” and thanked “all those around the world who keep our mother’s memory alive”. The pair were seen laughing and talking animatedly with guests, who applauded as they pulled off a green cloth covering the statue. It was their first appearance together since the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral in April. They remarked on changes to the Sunken Garden, which Kensington Palace said had been “one of the princess’s favourite locations” when she lived there. The garden has been planted with more than 4,000 flowers, including Diana’s favourite, Forget-me-nots. The statue, commissioned by the brothers in 2017, will stand in Kensington Palace’s redesigned Sunken Garden.