A statue of Princess Diana has been unveiled at Kensington Palace, to mark what would have been her 60th birthday.
The Duke of Cambridge and the Duke of Sussex have unveiled a bronze statue of their mother, Princess Diana, in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, which they commissioned in order to “commemorate her life and her legacy”. The unveiling ceremony took place on July 1, 2021, on what would have been Diana’s 60th birthday.
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The statue was first discussed in 2017, but Kensington Palace have revealed that the pandemic had delayed the installation process. It aims to publicly acknowledge Princess Diana’s many humanitarian efforts that were felt both nationally and internationally. In a statement announcing the statue, the brothers said that “our mother touched so many lives, we hope the statue will help all those who visit Kensington Palace to reflect on her life and her legacy”. The touching tribute was created by the famous sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley, who also created the Queen’s portrait for all UK coins. It shows Diana surrounded by three children, two of which she embraces with outstretched arms.
The Princess of Wales was tragically killed in a car accident as she was travelling through the Alma tunnel in Paris in 1997. After her death, people mourned all over the world and a sea of flowers was laid outside Kensington Palace to honour her. At the time, William and Harry were only fifteen and twelve respectively, and this year marks 24 years since her death. This statue is not the first public commemoration of Diana’s life, but her sons felt it was the perfect to celebrate her impact “in the UK and around the world”.