Princess Diana statue unveiling: Princes Harry and William reunited with her Spencer siblings

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Princess Diana‘s siblings reunited at Kensington Palace today for the unveiling of their sister’s statue on what would have been her 60th birthday. 

Lady Sarah McCorquodale, 66, Lady Jane Fellowes, 64, and Charles, Earl Spencer, 57, joined their nephews Prince William, 39, and Prince Harry, 36, for the intimate ceremony in the remodelled Sunken Garden.  

The warmth between the princes and their aunts was clear as they greeted each other with an affectionate kiss on the cheek. Lady Sarah beamed as she held onto Harry’s shoulder and appeared to whisper something into his ear.

Later Prince Harry, who appeared excited throughout the event, smiled widely as he shared a light-hearted moment with his aunts and uncle Charles. 

It is not known when the Duke of Sussex last saw his aunts and uncle. He was last photographed with Lady Sarah and Lady Jane at his son Archie’s christening in 2019. 

The brothers have stayed close with the aunts and uncle. All three of Diana’s siblings were guests at both Harry and William’s weddings, while they were the also included on the guest list of just 25 at Archie’s christening.

William and Harry put aside their personal differences and stood shoulder-to-shoulder to unveil the bronze statue of their mother in the Sunken Garden, which became a place of solace for Diana before her death in 1997.  The garden was replanted with 4,000 of Diana’s favourite flowers in honour of the event.  

The statue, made by Ian Rank-Broadley, shows Diana with her arms around two children, and towered over the brothers as they revealed it to the world this afternoon.

During the engagement Harry clapped his hands with excitement before the sculpture was revealed. William appeared far more serious during the short ceremony and the awkward walk to the Sunken Garden.

In a joint statement released this afternoon, the brothers said: ‘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.’

They added: ‘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.

‘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.’  

 The Sunken Garden’s designer Pip Morrison was stood nearby and she could be overheard telling the royal brothers ‘It’s a collaborative effort’. When the two dukes got into place either side of the statue William said ‘ready?’ before they pulled off the cloth and the guests applauded.

Lady Sarah, Lady Jane and Charles, Earl Spencer, have all remained close to their nephews since Princess Diana’s death.

Charles and his wife Karen sat front row at Prince William’s 2011 wedding to Kate Middleton, with his three daughters and one son in the row just behind. In pride of place next to the Middleton family too was Lady Sarah and Lady Jane, while Lady Anne Wake-Walker, Diana’s aunt also had a place in the pew. Harry was also seen chatting to his uncle before the ceremony.

The Spencers were also in attendance at Harry’s wedding to Meghan in 2018.

In 2019, the Sussexes shared a photo of Archie’s christening, which showed the Duke and Duchess with their son and Lady Jane and Sarah alongside the Duchess of Cornwall, The Prince of Wales, Doria Ragland, The Duke of Cambridge and The Duchess of Cambridge in the Green Drawing Room at Windsor Castle.

They didn’t attend the christenings of the Cambridge children, however neither did Charles’ siblings. 

Members of the statue committee who were tasked in 2017 with commissioning and privately raising funds for the creation of the statue stood nearby.

Lady Sarah was on the committee and her five colleagues included Diana’s close friend, Julia Samuel, who is a godparent of Prince George, and John Barnes, chief executive of Historic Royal Palaces, the charity which looks after a number of royal sites.

The committee was chaired by Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, William and Harry’s former principal private secretary, and it also included Gerry Farrell, director of the Sladmore Gallery, which specialises in sculpture, as well as financier Guy Monson, a former trustee of the royal brothers’ charitable foundation.

Guests also included Kensington Palace head gardener Gary James, and Graham Dillamore, deputy head of gardens and estates at Historic Royal Palaces. Historic Royal Palaces chairman Rupert Gavin also attended.

The statue was commissioned by the brothers in 2017 to memorialise their mother and mark the 20th anniversary of her death.

Kensington Palace said the princes ‘wanted the statue to recognise her positive impact in the UK and around the world, and help future generations understand the significance of her place in history’.

‘The statue aims to reflect the warmth, elegance and energy of Diana, Princess of Wales, in addition to her work and the impact she had on so many people,’ it added.

The portrait and style of dress featured was based on the ‘final period of her life as she gained confidence in her role as an ambassador for humanitarian causes’, they said.

It added that the statue ‘aims to convey her character and compassion’. Beneath the statue is a plinth engraved with the Princess’ name and the date of the unveiling.

In front of it is a paving stone engraved with an extract after the poem The Measure of A Man by Albert Schweitzer, which was read at the 2017 memorial service marking the 20th anniversary of her death.

It 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?’

Hundreds of mourners gathered outside from dawn with Diana’s fans travelling from all over the UK to west London for the poignant commemorative event today.

Prince Harry arrived 15 minutes before the event and left after 90 minutes. It is not known if he was heading to Frogmore Cottage or Heathrow Airport to fly back to be with Meghan, Archie and Lilibet in Los Angeles.

Sources close to Earl Spencer have said that there is a hope that the celebration of their mother’s life and legacy will bring Harry and William together again after months of discord over the Sussexes’ decision to quit the royal family and subsequent interviews in which they publicly criticised the royal family.

However Omid Scobie, the Sussexes’ preferred royal reporter, played down the idea of a public reconciliation ahead of the event.

He said: ‘What we will see is two brothers being professional in a moment that is not about them. This is going to be a moment we see them put everything to one side. We will just see professionalism and nothing else.’

Diana statue by sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley depicts princess with three children in the ‘more confident’ later years of her life – as it is unveiled to mixed reaction from the public

By RORY TINGLE and MARTIN ROBINSON FOR MAILONLINE and REBECCA ENGLISH FOR DAILY MAIL

A new statue Ian Rank-Broadley depicting Princess Diana in the ‘more confident’ later years of her life aims to reflect her ‘warmth, elegance and energy’, the sculptor said today – as it was unveiled to a mixed reaction from the public.

Well-wishers called the monument ‘lovely’ and ‘gorgeous’, while one Twitter user wrote: ‘Wonderful, I knew it would be Diana with kids.’

Royal expert Penny Junor told MailOnline: ‘I think it looks stunning. And I love the larger than life size and the fact that she has three children with her. It looks like a magnificent piece of art.’

However, others called the bronze unrealistic, with one commentator writing: ‘Ok, I’ll be the first to say it, I’m underwhelmed by the statue. Not a good likeness of Diana and what is she wearing?’

Princes William and Harry were seen chatting together during the monument’s unveiling as they put aside their feud today to honour their mother in what would have been her 60th birthday.

The statue shows Diana wearing a sleek open-necked blouse, a wide belt and a pencil skirt, while her hands are gently placed on the shoulders of two of the children – a boy and a girl, with the girl holding the princess’s hand.

Mr Rank-Broadley may have taken inspiration from a 1993 Christmas card which shows the princess wearing the same top and belt, while one of her arms is also outstretched.

Rank-Broadley’s artwork was erected in the palace’s Sunken Garden, one of the places Diana loved most at the Palace.

The space has been redesigned during the past two years and features more than 4,000 individual flowers, including forget-me-nots which were adored by the princess.

The artist said: ‘Diana, Princess of Wales was an icon who touched the lives of people right around the world so it has been a privilege to work alongside Prince William and Prince Harry on this statue which commemorates her life.

‘We wanted to capture her warmth and humanity while showcasing the impact she had across generations. I hope that people will enjoy visiting the statue and the Sunken Garden, and taking a moment to remember the princess.’

In front of the statue is a paving stone engraved with an extract inspired by the poem The Measure Of A Man: ‘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?”

The bronze shows Diana with her arms around two children, and towered over the brothers as they revealed it to the world this afternoon.

Harry left after 90 minutes despite arriving just 15 minutes before the ceremony began, and during the engagement the Duke of Sussex clapped his hands with excitement before the sculpture was revealed, and was seen laughing and joking with his uncle Earl Spencer and Diana’s sisters Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes.

At one point yelled across the garden with his hands cupped around his mouth and laughed uproariously as he larked around before making a sharp exit. It is not known if he was heading back to Frogmore Cottage – amid rumours he has organised a ‘lads lunch’ with friends – or whether he is heading to Heathrow to jet back to LA to be with Meghan, Archie and Lilibet.

But William appeared far more serious throughout the short ceremony and the awkward walk to the Sunken Garden with his younger brother after 18 months of barely talking.

In a joint statement The Duke of Cambridge and the Duke of Sussex said: ‘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.’

They added: ‘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’.

‘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.’

Before the event, William appeared to be talking earnestly to his brother, who looked serious as they walked towards the ceremony in an area packed with 4,000 of Diana’s most-loved flowers and plants surrounding a rectangular pool of water.

Commissioned by the brothers in 2017 to memorialise their mother and mark the twentieth anniversary of her death, Kensington Palace said the princes ‘wanted the statue to recognise her positive impact in the UK and around the world, and help future generations understand the significance of her place in history’.

‘The statue aims to reflect the warmth, elegance and energy of Diana, Princess of Wales, in addition to her work and the impact she had on so many people,’ it added.

The portrait and style of dress featured was based on the ‘final period of her life as she gained confidence in her role as an ambassador for humanitarian causes’, they said. It added that the statue ‘aims to convey her character and compassion’. Beneath the statue is a plinth engraved with the Princess’ name and the date of the unveiling.

In front of it is a paving stone engraved with an extract after the poem The Measure of A Man by Albert Schweitzer, which was read at the 2017 memorial service marking the 20th anniversary of her death.

It read: ‘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?’

The brothers, who have been split by Harry’s decision to leave the UK, were seen chatting in the grounds of Kensington Palace moments before the grand unveiling.

The statue shows Diana wearing a sleek open-necked blouse, a wide belt and a pencil skirt.

Her hands are gently placed on the shoulders of two of the children – a boy and a girl, with the girl holding the princess’s hand.

Sculpted by renowned artist Ian Rank-Broadley, the monument is 1.25x life size and was cast by Castle Fine Arts Foundry in the traditional ‘lost-wax’ process, with a patina of a bluish green over black.

The cast is hollow and is supported by a stainless-steel armature.

Beneath the statue is a plinth engraved with the princess’ name and the date of the unveiling.

In front of the statue is a paving stone engraved with an extract inspired by The Measure of A Man poem.

It 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?’

The delayed statue, which was due to be unveiled before the end of 2017, is situated in the Sunken Garden of Kensington Palace, which was one of Diana’s favourite places.

Statue finally takes root in Princess Diana’s beloved sunken garden: Princes William and Harry worked with Kensington Palace team to re-design site of statue unveiling… filling it with glorious scented blooms adored by their mother

By Royal Editor For The Daily Mail

A haven of tranquility in bustling London, the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace was one of Princess Diana’s favourite spots for reflection.

She would often stop to chat to the head gardener as she returned from her morning jog, complimenting him on the floral displays and sharing a joke.

There is no more fitting place to unveil the only statue ever commissioned of the royal today on what would have been her 60th birthday.

And it is not only the statue, designed by sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley, that will provide a lasting memory of the princess, whose life was cut short in a Paris car crash almost 24 years ago.

Her sons Princes William and Harry have worked closely with the team at Kensington Palace to re-design the garden, filling it with glorious scented blooms loved by their adored mother.

Over 4,000 flowers have been planted, incorporating 50 varieties, including 100 of Diana’s favourite Forget-me-nots, 300 tulips and more than 500 lavenders.

There are more than 200 roses, 100 dahlias and 50 sweet peas. More than 400 metres of turf have been laid to complete the setting.

The layout and planting scheme was devised by garden designer Pip Morrison. It was then created by the gardens and estates team at charity Historic Royal Palaces.

Work began in October 2019 and since then five gardeners have spent 1,000 hours on planting.

The garden and statue of Diana will be free to view during palace opening hours from tomorrow, but will be roped off for the unveiling today.

Only William, Harry and a small group of Diana’s closest family will be present.

What had originally been planned as a large celebration to mark her life has now been classed as a ‘private event’ – largely due to bad blood between the brothers and Harry’s determination to control media coverage.