On July 1, 2021, Prince Harry and Prince William will meet in London for what would have been their mother’s 60th birthday. There, the two men will unveil a statue in the likeness of Lady Diana.
On the occasion of what would have been the sixtieth birthday of Lady Diana, Princes Harry and William have commissioned a statue in the likeness of their mother. Although the two brothers have not seen each other for a year, it has been confirmed that they will attend the unveiling of the statue together in the garden of Kensington Palace on July 1, 2021. While no image of the statue has been released yet, the garden’s planners said, “I am sure that even if a single bronze block of the dimensions shown were erected, it would still not detract from the view of the palace. I don’t think it’s our role to get involved in artistic design.”
Historic England’s Inspector of Ancient Monuments, Jane Siddell shared, “The proposed art installation is located in the Sunken Garden, a feature of the early 20th century gardens located slightly off the east facade of the palace. The location has been carefully chosen, with the statue off-center on one of the garden paths, near an opening in the hedges. It will be visible to the public as they view the garden, but the statue will not obstruct the view to or from the palace because of its slightly recessed and sheltered position.” Jane Siddell added, “There is a tradition of installing statues in Kensington Gardens and around Kensington Palace, for example the statue of King William III to the south of the palace and Queen Victoria by the round pond, and the proposed installation follows that tradition.”
Our mother has touched so many lives
Last August, it was in a joint statement that Princes Harry and William had indicated that they “hope the statute will help those who visit Kensington Palace to reflect on the life and legacy of their mother.” In 2017, Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton’s husband and wife revealed, “It’s been 20 years since our mother’s death and the time has come to recognize her positive impact on the UK and the world with a permanent statue. Our mother touched so many lives. We hope the statue will help everyone who visits Kensington Palace to reflect on her life and legacy.”
Photos Credit: Samir Hussein/WireImage