Diana's statue unveiled: William and Harry 'remember her love, strength and character'

Britain’s Prince William and Prince Harry unveiled a statue of their late mother, Princess Diana, at the Sunken Garden in Kensington Palace on July 1. The statue reveal comes on what would have been the Princess of Wales’ 60th birthday. It has been erected permanently in the newly-redesigned Sunken Garden, which has been filled with more than 4,000 flowers and which is said to be Princess Diana’s favourite place in the palace. 

"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," the royal brothers said in a statement, which was broadcasted online.

"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".\

The ceremony is being attended by the royal brothers and members of the Spencer family, thought to be Princess Diana’s siblings, along with the statue committee and others involved in the process. The statue was created by sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley, who has a long track record of creating images of the royal family. The garden, which offers a “calmer and more reflective setting” for the permanent tribute to the princess, was redesigned by Pip Morrison.

Harry, who lives in the US with his wife, the Duchess of Sussex, and their two children, arrived in the UK last week in order to complete his quarantine ahead of Thursday's event. A day earlier, he even paid a surprise visit to children's charity WellChild's awards ceremony for seriously ill children in the UK. At the event, Harry gushed over his newborn daughter as he added that his eldest child, Archie Harrison, two, was “running around like crazy”.

Princess Diana’s legacy

Meanwhile, Princess Diana was a patron to more than 100 charities, and dedicated much of her life to engaging with hospital patients and critically ill children, earning her the nickname: “the people’s Princess”. The public’s adoration of Diana and her influence was evident in the outpouring of love she received. A sea of flowers was left at the gates of her home, Kensington Palace, while hundreds of thousands of mourners gathered in London on the day of her funeral in 1997. 

As the Dukes of Cambridge and Sussex made a rare joint public appearance at Kensington Palace for the unveiling of the statue of their mother, Princess Diana’s true legacy lives on through her sons, their philanthropy and their focus on mental health awareness. Her willingness to discuss her struggles with mental health has influenced Prince William and Prince Harry’s work over the years. Despite their differences, William and Harry, during the unveiling ceremony, presented their shared and definitive version of how they want their mother to be seen and remembered. 

(Image: Twitter/AP)