Prince Harry arrives for reunion with William at Princess Diana statue unveiling

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Prince Harry and Prince William today set aside their own differences to unveil a statue of their beloved mother on what would have been her 60th birthday and declared ‘every day, we wish she were still with us’ before the Duke of Sussex made a quick exit.

The brothers stood shoulder-to-shoulder before revealing a sculpture created in Princess Diana’s honour and placed in the remodelled Sunken Garden of Kensington Palace, a place of solace and safety for her before she died in 1997. 

The bronze made by Ian Rank-Broadley shows Diana with her arms around two children with another little boy following behind, and the image of their mother towered over the brothers as they revealed it to the world this afternoon surrounded by 4,000 of her favourite flowers.

Its design was top secret and appears to be inspired by Diana’s official 1993 Christmas card – her first sent without Prince Charles – where she wears the same open ribbed shirt, skirt and belt as she smiles lovingly at her two sons. 

But rather than depict her with her boys as she appeared in the card, she is posed with three children – two of whom are not wearing shoes. One of the boys appears to have short afro-style hair. The palace said ‘it represents the universality and generational impact of The Princess’ work.’

Prince Charles was not present at the ceremony, which was changed to a ‘private event’ instead of the large celebration to mark Diana’s life as originally intended. 

The move to scale back the unveiling was largely due to bad blood between the brothers and Harry’s determination to control media coverage – and was only broadcast after it was over and the Duke of Sussex was leaving.

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

Harry smiled as he and William talked awkwardly while walking towards the Sunken Garden before turning their backs to the cameras and together pulling at a large green cloth to reveal the statue.

The animated Duke of Sussex had clapped his hands with excitement and was seen joking around with his uncle Earl Spencer and Diana’s sisters Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes, greeting both his aunts with big kisses.

And at one point Harry yelled across the garden with his hands cupped around his mouth and laughed uproariously as he larked around – but William appeared far more serious throughout the short ceremony after 18 months of barely talking to his younger sibling since he emigrated.

Harry then made a sharp exit – leaving Kensington Palace after just 90 minutes – despite arriving just 15 minutes before the ceremony began. 

It is not known if he was heading back to Frogmore Cottage, where he may be meeting his grandmother the Queen who has just returned to Windsor for the annual horse show after a tour of Scotland. Or he could be heading to Heathrow this evening to jet back to LA to be with Meghan, Archie and Lilibet. There are also rumours of a ‘lads’ lunch’ organised with former school and Army friends.

Speaking after the unveiling, sculptor Mr Rank-Broadley  told how William and Harry shared poignant private moments of fun and joy from their time with their late mother to convey her personality. He said he hoped the statue might provide some ‘solace’ for the two brothers.

‘I think that their mother is there in a real physical sense, perhaps in the evening when the grounds are shut they could easily come here for a moment of quiet reflection and I hope that will give them some sort of comfort or solace,’ he said

Mr Rank-Broadley added: ‘Uppermost in my mind was to do something for the princes, the princess was a very public figure and in many respects an icon but she was somebody’s mother. So I paid the greatest heed to both princes in what they had to say.

‘And in many ways it was a collaborative effort, they made a huge contribution, in many ways I could say the sculpture belongs to them as well – they helped make it.’

Asked what direct involvement William and Harry had in the process, he replied: ‘Unfortunately I never knew the princess, I never met her, so I was reliant on what friends and family would say. One gets a flavour, there might be anecdotes, reminiscences and particular views, so they contributed in that way.

‘They described their mother and in many ways there were private moments that were related – one certainly got the feeling she was an enormous amount of fun and (loved) playing jokes.

‘That helps you create a person, so when I’m on my own in the studio, and I’m just modelling the clay, I got a feeling I’m beginning to know somebody. And towards the end of the commission, I really felt as though I knew a Diana.’ 

Mr Rank-Broadley highlighted the hands-on approach of William and Harry: ‘They would send photographs on a regular basis at all the different stages, visits were made to my studio so they were well aware at how it was progressing.’

The sculptor explained the children stood with Diana in the statue were not based on living individuals, adding: ‘I think we felt if the princess stood on her own in solitary fashion she might appear isolated.

‘And one of the things that came across in talking to her friends and family was she was such a friendly and gregarious person, and she had a particular warmth for children. And in many ways it alludes to her humanitarian work and shows she was a great comfort.’ 

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.

Harry clapped his hands as if in anticipation when he reached sculptor Mr Rank-Broadley and glanced over at the statue covered in a large green cloth.

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. 

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.  

Covid restrictions had reduced the number of guests to just 13 and most were gathered between the garden’s side entrance and the statue, erected at the end of a large rectangle ornamental pond.

Diana’s brother, Earl Spencer, was joined by the princess’s sisters, Lady Jane Fellowes and Lady Sarah McCorquodale.

Charles Spencer famously delivered a defiant eulogy at Diana’s funeral in 1997, pledging to his sister ‘that we, your blood family’ would follow her lead and continue to steer her sons ‘so that their souls are not simply immersed by duty and tradition but can sing openly as you planned’.

William and Harry chatted to their uncle and aunts when they first arrived, walking into the immaculate garden together ahead of the brief ceremony.

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.  

Harry and William chatted informally with the guests, who included the Sunken Garden’s designer Pip Morrison, 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.

William and Harry, who looked smart in dark suits with ties, arrived a few minutes early for the unveiling and stopped in a shrub-lined path outside the garden to chat to the chairman of the statue committee Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton.

The royal brothers set the tone for the event as they shared a laugh with their former right hand man and could be heard chatting animatedly with the ex-Army officer.

The trio spent a few minutes together before Lowther-Pinkerton ushered them down a small flight of steps and into the garden to meet their first guests. 

They put their personal animosity to one side this afternoon at the private ceremony, which started at 2pm, and saw Diana’s sons gather along with the princess’ siblings The Earl Spencer, The Lady Sarah McCorquodale, and The Lady Jane Fellowes, in addition to the Statue Committee, the sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley, garden designer Pip Morrison and Chair of Historic Royal Palaces, Rupert Gavin. 

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, with Harry arriving at 1.45pm – just 15 minutes before the grand unveiling.  

The brothers are said to have barely spoken and have an ‘incredibly strained’ relationship after two years of rows over Harry’s wife and her alleged treatment of staff, the couple’s decision to emigrate to America and the tonnes of ‘truth bombs’ the Sussexes have dropped in TV interviews watched by tens of millions of people around the world. 

Harry and Meghan believe they were abandoned by the Royal Family, even accusing them of racism towards Archie and ignoring their cries for help when the Duchess of Sussex felt lonely and suicidal while pregnant in London. 

But as if beating Germany wasn’t amazing enough, the England football team appears to have achieved the near unthinkable. For it seems the stunning 2-0 victory has helped bring about a thaw in the icy relations between Princes William and Harry, sparking a flurry of messages between them after the match. 

Sources close to their uncle Earl Spencer, who is at today’s statue unveiling, have said that there is a hope that the celebration of their mother’s life and legacy will bring them together again. Prince Charles and the Queen, who is in Scotland, will not attend the Spencer-dominated event.  

MailOnline can reveal that the Diana statue has been in situ for more than a week after being lifted into a crate during the early hours of the morning. The much-anticipated sculpture is currently boxed up and hidden away from prying eyes in the Sunken Garden of Kensington Palace.

Omid Scobie, the Sussexes’ preferred royal reporter, has played down the idea of a public reconciliation when they unveil the statue this afternoon.  

Harry and William have been working together on the project since 2017 – but Mr Scobie has said they both vehemently believe today is about their mother – and not them. 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’.

The Diana statue has been in situ for more than a week after being lifted into a crate during the early hours of the morning.

The much-anticipated sculpture is currently boxed up and hidden away from prying eyes in the Sunken Garden of Kensington Palace.

Staff were today busy erecting screens to stop members of the public and photographers from trying to sneak a glimpse before the official unveiling later this afternoon.

However, a Palace source said: ‘The statue has been here for more than a week. But it’s inside a crate and cannot be seen.

‘It was lifted into the crate by a crane in the early hours of the morning so that nobody was around and it could be kept secret.

‘The Sunken Garden, where the statue will be unveiled, has been re-landscaped over the last couple of years to be brought back in to line with the Pond Garden at Hampton Court, on which it’s based.

‘The Diana statue is the focal point but the work has cost Historic Royal Palaces quite a bit and it’s been a struggle to pay because of the pandemic, which closed Kensington Palace – and the other HRP sites – to the public for a number of months.’

The warring brothers have barely exchanged a word since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced their acrimonious departure from the Royal Family 18 months ago.

But the Daily Mail understands they have been in contact in recent days ahead of today’s unveiling of a statue in memory of their late mother Diana. They are even said to have exchanged a few phone messages over England’s win on Tuesday.

While insiders are quick to stress that it is far from a full-scale rapprochement, it is the most positive sign yet that the estranged brothers will be able to put their differences to one side – for today, at least.

‘It is still far from good between them,’ the source explained. ‘But there has apparently been an exchange of messages, particularly about the football, which is a step in the right direction, if only to do honour to their mother.’

William, who is president of the Football Association, attended the match at Wembley with wife Kate and their football-mad eldest son George.

Royal insiders have also told the Mail that Harry, 36, has been told how much the family had been hoping to see his two-year-old son Archie again and look forward to his return to the UK soon. It is believed the Cambridges have seen Archie only once or twice since he was born.

The statue unveiling is three and a half years overdue, in large part due to the collapse in relations between the brothers.

William, 39, is known to be deeply hurt and angry at the way Harry ‘pressed the nuclear button’ not just on his relationship with the monarchy, but the family itself.

One impeccable source said they ‘highly doubted’ that the two brothers would ever regain ‘even a semblance’ of the closeness they once enjoyed.

‘Too much water has gone under the bridge for that,’ they said. ‘Harry and Meghan’s decision to burn so many bridges behind them and make such terrible allegations against their family in that infamous Oprah interview, knowing they will never be in a position to defend themselves, has taken its toll. What little trust there was has been well and truly destroyed.’

But the source acknowledged there may be some hope the brothers could eventually paper over their schism, enough at least for their children – who are cousins, after all – to develop some sort of long-distance relationship.

‘It would be a great shame if Archie and Lilibet never really got to know George, Charlotte and Louis,’ they admitted.

Harry and Wills’ kisses for their aunts: Princes greet Diana’s sisters Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes as they join Earl Spencer to unveil statue of their mother at Kensington Palace

Princess Diana‘s siblings reunited at Kensington Palace today to see the statue unveiled in their sister’s honour. 

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. 

Lady Sarah and Lady Jane beamed as they greeted their nephews with a kiss on the cheek in the beautiful garden, which was replanted with 4,000 of Diana’s favourite flowers for the occasion. 

The event, held on what would have been Princess Diana’s 60th birthday, was attended by just a handful of people including Diana’s sons and three siblings, as well as the Statue Committee, the sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley, garden designer Pip Morrison and Chair of Historic Royal Palaces, Rupert Gavin. 

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.   

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 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?’

xx 

 

 

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.

Prince Harry tells Ed Sheeran how fathering Lillibet and Archie is ‘definitely a juggle’ and says his daughter is ‘chilled’ while son runs ‘around like crazy’ on surprise visit to WellChild Awards before meeting brother William at Diana statue unveiling

By Jemma Carr, Paul Thompson, James Gant and Rory Tingle for MailOnline

Prince Harry told Ed Sheeran that fathering Lilibet and Archie is ‘definitely a juggle’ as he delighted sick children with a surprise visit to the WellChild Awards this afternoon. 

Harry attended the event, which celebrates inspirational young people living with serious illnesses, at Kew Gardens after testing negative for coronavirus following five days of quarantine in Windsor. 

The duke – who has been WellChild’s patron since 2007 – mingled with the awards’ star-studded lineup, including popstars Ed Sheeran and Anne-Marie, with the latter performing three songs for the delighted winners.

At the socially-distanced garden party and afternoon tea, Sheeran was overheard congratulating Prince Harry on the birth of his daughter Lilibet Diana earlier this month.

The singer, whose wife Cherry Seaborn gave birth to their first child Lyra Antarctica last year, said: ‘Congratulations, a girl right? We just had a little girl ten months ago now. You’re still in the trenches now. How do you manage with two?’

The Duke of Sussex replied: ‘Two is definitely a juggle.’

Speaking to award winners later, Harry described Lilibet as ‘very chilled’, saying she ‘seems happy to just sit there while Archie is running around like crazy’, Hello Magazine reports. 

Today’s event was originally scheduled for September, but the organisers changed the date to allow the Duke of Sussex to attend while he’s in the UK. Harry flew to London from the US on Friday ahead of his awkward reunion with William at tomorrow’s unveiling of Diana’s statue at Kensington Palace. 

Harry greeted each winner in turn after they accepted their awards on the Sir Joseph Banks Lawn.

Those seen speaking to the duke included  seven-year-old Carmela Chillery-Watson, who won in the inspirational child category. Carmela – who has Congenital Muscular Dystrophy – helped raise more than £50,000 for Muscular Dystrophy UK by completing a series of challenges during lockdown, in spite of the physical limitations brought about by her condition. 

Harry was also pictured speaking to William Cuthill, who won in the inspirational young person category. William – who has Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis which can cause painful joint flare ups – has raised more than £5,000 for the Teapot Trust charity.

He also chatted to schizencephaly-sufferer Luke Fisher, 17, who has been dedicated to his school attendance despite his profound physical disabilities and health conditions. Luke also won an inspirational young person award.

The Duke of Sussex was allowed to leave self-isolation in Windsor after testing negative for coronavirus following his arrival in the UK on Friday. He flew to London for tomorrow’s unveiling of Diana’s statue at Kensington Palace. 

One guest asked Harry about the statue unveiling, to which the duke replied: ‘I’m just so glad we can do it on what would have been her birthday, we weren’t sure we would be able to.’

Speaking at the event, Harry said he ‘could not be prouder’ to be there, adding that now, as a father of two, he feels ‘all the more connected, inspired and in awe of the resilience of these families’. 

The Duchess of Sussex – who attended previous years’ awards with Harry prior to their emigration to the US – has remained in their California mansion with baby Lilibet and two-year-old Archie. 

The event was hosted outside to allow a gathering of up to 30 people under UK Covid rules. That number can increase ‘for the purposes of work or volunteering’, official guidelines state.  

Addressing the socially-distanced audience, the Duke of Sussex said: ‘Since becoming patron of WellChild in 2007, this organisation and the people within it have held an extraordinarily special place in my heart. 

‘I wasn’t a father at the time, and yet the stories of these children and parents transcended that. I didn’t need to be a dad to feel the impact of this invaluable work. 

‘Now as a father of two, I feel all the more connected, inspired and in awe of the resilience of these families, who power through indescribable challenges with the support of WellChild.

‘The health of our children, of all of us, could not have been more on the forefront of our minds during the past year. 

‘And, throughout this time, the WellChild community has set an example for how to show up and act with compassion for each other. 

‘I could not be prouder to be here, to meet this year’s WellChild Award winners, to thank the nurses and doctors for all they do, and to celebrate these amazing families.’ 

Harry talked to the winners and their families following the awards ceremony. After the event, award winner Carmela took to Twitter to write: ‘Thank you so much for one of my best days ever. It was so awesome to meet so many fantastic people. I had an awesome time.’ 

Rhea Talwar, who is 18 and was born with cerebral palsy, won a special recognition award for setting up her own business making greetings cards during lockdown last year – despite spending most of her time shielding. 

Her mother Purabi Lakhani said: ‘After everything that Rhea has been through in her childhood, it was wonderful for her to get some recognition from WellChild and what more could we ask than to meet Prince Harry? We are unbelieveably proud of her and have had a day we will cherish forever.’ 

The event – which was cancelled last year due to Covid – played host to several celebrities, including Amanda Holden, Ed Sheeran, dancer AJ Pritchard and singer Anne-Marie who performed today.  

As she left Kew Gardens, Britain’s Got Talent judge Miss Holden said: ‘It was such a heartwarming day. I met so many lovely children who have suffered.

‘It was inspiring to hear how they have coped during lockdown. Everyone loved it when Anne-Marie performed.

‘Prince Harry was very much in the background. He let the children take centre stage and made sure it was all about the children’

Miss Holden said she had been invited as one of the children attending the event was a big fan of Britain’s Got Talent. 

The winners were chosen from hundreds of nominations from across the UK. The awards ‘celebrate the resilience of children living with serious illnesses or complex conditions and honour the dedication of those individuals who go the extra mile to help these children and their families’, the charity said.

They won the categories of inspirational child and young person, young carer, inspirational nurse, inspirational doctor, outstanding health professional and volunteer.

At the last WellChild Awards in 2019, which like this year’s event was sponsored by pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline, Harry choked up during a speech as he spoke about becoming a father. 

A source told The Sun: ‘WellChild is a charity that is very close to Harry’s heart and the organisers have moved heaven and earth to make this happen.

‘His attendance was kept a complete secret and it was an amazing moment when he surprised those in attendance.

‘Harry made sure he spent time talking to as many of the children and their families as possible – as well as care givers who were present at the ceremony.’  

Harry left Frogmore Cottage in Berkshire this afternoon and was seen arriving at Kew Gardens in south-west London around an hour later.  He spent two hours at the charity event before being driven back to Windsor.

WellChild Chief Executive, Colin Dyer said: ‘There are more children and young people than ever before in the UK living with long-term, serious health needs. 

‘The Coronavirus outbreak has placed these children and families under more pressure than many of us can comprehend. 

‘The WellChild Awards 2021, in association with GSK, will be a unique opportunity to recognise and highlight the immense challenges they have faced and to celebrate the remarkable positivity, resilience and spirit they have demonstrated. 

‘It will also help us to shine a light on the dedication of those around them, from siblings, professionals and volunteers who have gone above and beyond to help them through such challenging times.’

Winners in the inspirational child category included seven-year-old Carmela who has Congenital Muscular Dystrophy.

Carmela completed a series of challenges during lockdown to help cure her condition and help others like her. These included a 2.6 mile marathon challenge in the garden, a London virtual WalkWithCarmela and a 30-day WonderWomanWalk, completing 300km with her mother.

She helped raise more than £50,000 for Muscular Dystrophy UK.

One of the winners in the young carer category was 13-year-old Gracie Davis, who provides invaluable and sometimes life-saving support to her older brother, Alfie, who has Type I diabetes.

The charity said Gracie’s ‘caring nature and her composure and courage in an emergency’ have been invaluable to her mother Sarah, who has multiple sclerosis and has been at hospital appointments or unwell when Alfie has suddenly become seriously ill. 

‘Each time Gracie has taken everything in her stride and stepped in to administer the urgent treatment Alfie needs,’ WellChild said.  

Sources claim Harry will hold a ‘private meeting’ with Prince William after tomorrow’s unveiling as reports continue of a simmering rift between the brothers.

Meanwhile it was reported the Duke of Cambridge will visit the statue with Kate Middleton and their children for a private moment ahead of its official unveiling, maybe as early as today.

After taking the stage at the last awards in 2019, which was streamed live on the charity’s Facebook page, Harry spoke about how he knew at the previous year’s event that his wife Meghan was pregnant.

As he talked about it he choked back tears and had to stop his speech, with host Gaby Roslin stepping in to pat him on the back, before the crowd cheered at him. 

Tomorrow Harry will join his brother Prince William, 39, for the official ceremony to mark what would have been their mother’s 60th birthday.

The brothers have been separated by a rift that began in March 2019 when William threw Harry and Meghan out of Kensington Palace over the alleged bullying of staff, according to royal historian Robert Lacey.

Sources said they will hold a private meeting after the tribute – dubbed an ‘informal’ and ‘beautiful’ memorial – is unveiled, The Daily Telegraph reports.

Harry arrived in the UK on Friday and was staying at Frogmore Cottage where he has self isolated for five days.

Thursday’s statue ceremony in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace – where Diana lived, and which is now home to William and his family – will be a small event.

William and Harry, Diana’s close family and the sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley are among the few attending.

The brothers – who last met in person at Prince Philip’s funeral – are understood to have spent ‘weeks’ working out where to place the statue in the palace.

No details of the statue have been revealed ahead of time, but it is understood to show Diana’s youthful and playful character.  

Mr Lacey yesterday claimed Harry is ready to admit he’s made mistakes out of ‘sheer temper’ since quitting as a frontline royal but Meghan is ‘sticking to her guns’ and William believes he’s done nothing wrong.

Claims of a rift between the brothers – which ended with the Sussexes breaking up their joint foundation and setting up a new office at Buckingham Palace – emerged in the historian’s book Battle of Brothers.

It was published before Harry and Meghan went on Oprah to accuse the Royal Family of racism and claim they were abandoned when the Duchess of Sussex was suicidal and six months pregnant.

Speaking to Newsweek Mr Lacey said he believes Harry is the only one who may be ready to admit mistakes and contrition for his behaviour over the past two years.

But he claims it may not be reciprocated because William and Kate may feel ‘vindicated’ in having doubts about Harry’s relationship.

He said: ‘On one side we’ve got William who doesn’t seem prepared to concede anything and on the other side friends have told me that Harry wouldn’t mind reconciling and then it’s Meghan who is sticking to her guns on this issue.

‘It should surely be possible for both sides to say the past is in the past. It’s very regrettable that Meghan doesn’t withdraw just a little. 

‘Why can’t she say it was the pressure? ‘I was getting used to this incredibly complicated system, I was just pregnant, I couldn’t sleep’… ‘Perhaps in retrospect I went over the top about it’.’

Mr Lacey spoke out as it was claimed William and Harry will not heal their rift this week while the Duke is ‘so under the thumb’ of his wife.

He told Newsweek: ‘Harry is prepared to acknowledge the role that just sheer temper played at unfortunate moments—notably in the so-called blindsiding early in 2020. He actually is prepared to admit, in a way that William doesn’t seem to be.’

But Mr Lacey said he believes there is a way of ‘moving forward’, adding: ‘It’s not as if Meghan’s employing any royal staff anymore, she’s living in a different country. 

‘It’s not a live issue so it would be good, it seems to me, if she could find a way of putting it to bed.’

According to biographer Hugo Vickers, any attempts of a reunion in London could result in Prince Harry having to answer for it when he returns to his wife in LA.

‘I don’t know what they can do under the present circumstances,’ he said, speaking to The Express about the possibility of the pair mending their relationship.

‘Harry has got to wake up to what’s going on. It’s a very unpleasant situation and I don’t think it’s going to be the right moment this week.

‘Harry is so under the thumb of Meghan it is not really possible until he emerges from that.’

The Royal biographer, who does not think Charles will intervene, said the brothers could speak via videolink or phone but claimed neither Harry or Meghan wanted to.

‘He has thrown in his lot with his wife,’ said Hugo. ‘That’s it, isn’t it? Slagging off his family didn’t help anybody. It’s a dreadful situation.’

He continued: ‘You’ve got to remember that Harry has to return to his wife in Los Angeles. If he starts reconciling, he will get his head bitten off, won’t he?’

The royal expert also went on to say how the tension between the brothers is likely to steal the limelight from the poignant event on Thursday – adding ‘everyone will be focusing on’ the two boys being together.

It will mark the first time Harry has both travelled to Britain and spent time with his brother since the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral at Windsor Castle on April 17.

Meghan has remained at their £11million mansion in Montecito with two-year-old Archie and their second child, Lilibet Diana, who was born 21 days ago.

The reunion comes in the aftermath of Harry and Meghan Markle‘s explosive two-hour CBS interview with Oprah Winfrey which aired in March.

There he made reference to his relation with William amid reports the brothers had fallen out in the wake of Megxit.

Prince Harry told the talk show host: ‘As I’ve said before, I love William to bits. He’s my brother.

‘We’ve been through hell together. I mean, we have a shared experience. But we’re on different paths.

It came as the Duke of Sussex made his first official appearance since landing in the UK last week in a surprise speech at the virtual Diana Award ceremony.

The Duke of Sussex delivered a speech at the award ceremony in a pre-recorded video which appears to have been filmed at his home in California.

The Diana Award is a charity set up to reflect the Princess of Wales‘ belief young people have the power to change the world.

The charity runs anti-bullying and mentoring programmes and recognises young people’s inspirational work.

In a pre-recorded video, the Duke said: ‘I’d like to start by acknowledging and celebrating the incredible young people joining us today.

‘And wherever you are right now, I want to thank you for being part of this important moment and for being such a valuable asset to your community.

‘I’m truly honoured to be celebrating your work, your commitment to change making and the vital role that you’ve taken on representing a new generation of humanitarianism.’ 

He continued: ‘Later this week, my brother and I are recognising what would have been our mum’s 60th birthday, and she would be so proud of you all for living authentic life with purpose and with compassion for others.

‘Our mum believed that young people have the power to change the world. She believed in your strength because she saw it day in and day out and in the faces of young people exactly like you, she witnessed a boundless enthusiasm and passion.

‘And to see those same values shine through as it has done for 21 years now, The Diana Award carries her legacy forward by putting young people at the centre of our future. And this has never been more important.’

The Duchess of Sussex has stayed in the US with Archie and Lilibet.

Harry added: ‘And Meg and I fundamentally believe that our world is at the cusp of change, real change for the good of all. But the question before us is what that change will look like.

‘The Covid-19 crisis exposed severe inequities and imbalances around the world. We saw the disproportionate effect of this pandemic on communities of colour, on women, on underserved communities and on less wealthy countries.

‘We’ve seen and unless we take swift action, we will continue to see a disparity in our humanitarian and moral obligation to vaccinate the world.

‘There is great need for young leadership and there is no greater time to be a young leader. I believe in you. We believe in you.

And that belief in your own ability to change the world in doing the right thing is what makes you a force to be reckoned with.’ 

He added: ‘To all the 2021 Diana Award recipients thank you for inspiring us with your brilliance, your determination and your compassion, your actions hold the potential to leave a life changing impact. You are putting the ‘do’s’ behind the ‘say’s’, and this is the personification of our mother’s legacy.

‘To everyone else watching. I’m hopeful that today’s Award recipients have inspired you to be part of a future where humanity is cherished, where our communities are supported and uplifted, and where we are considerate and compassionate to each other, both online and off.

‘Never be afraid to do what’s right. Stand up for what you believe in and trust that when you live by truth and in service to others, people will see that just as they did with my mum.’ 

For most of their lives, the royal brothers have been close, united by the shared trauma of losing their mother who died aged 36 in a 1997 Paris car crash when William was 15 and Harry 12.

But since Harry’s 2018 wedding to his American actress wife, relations between them have soured and an explosive interview that the couple gave chat show host Oprah Winfrey in March marked a new low.

In it, Harry, now 36, criticised his father Charles and said William, 39, and the family were trapped, while the couple accused one unnamed royal of making a racist remark.

Biographer Mr Lacey said in April the brothers quarrelled in the immediate aftermath of the funeral of Prince Philip, their grandmother Queen Elizabeth’s husband of more than 70 years, and there was no sign of any improvement.

‘The conflict between Diana’s two bitterly divided sons does not seem likely to end any time soon,’ he wrote in the Daily Mail, adding that friends and family were trying to forge a reconciliation.

This week’s unveiling in London of the statue, which the princes commissioned four years ago to celebrate Diana’s life, provides a rare opportunity for such a rapprochement, with Harry returning from his new home in the United States.

‘Unless one of them is going to say sorry, and I think that probably has to be Harry, I can’t see this relationship at the moment mending itself,’ royal commentator Penny Junor said.

‘My understanding is the boys are not speaking to one another, certainly not in the way brothers normally speak,’ she said. 

Harry told Winfrey their relationship was ‘space at the moment’, but hoped time would heal it.

‘I love William to bits, he’s my brother, we’ve been through hell together and we have a shared experience. But we’re on different paths,’ he said.

The Daily Telegraph reported that William would take his wife Kate and their three children George, Charlotte and Louis, for a private viewing of the statue before its official unveiling as they will not be present on the day.

The Diana Award recognised dozens of recipients who have achieved remarkable change and carried out inspirational work in the past year.

Among the winners were Mashal Aamir, from the University of Glasgow, who works to equip women living by the Pakistan-Afghanistan border with economic skills to increase their independence.

She continues to empower marginalised voices through her writing and collaborations, while training to be a barrister.

George Barker, 25, from the Wirral, has been recognised because he has volunteered with Sexpression:UK for the last seven years, working to improve sex education in secondary schools.

He has facilitated fun and interactive sessions in schools to over 300 young people, trained over 100 volunteers to deliver these classes and is empowering young people to make educated, safer choices about relationships and sex. 

Tessy Ojo, Chief Executive of The Diana Award, said: ‘We warmly congratulate our new Diana Award recipients from the UK and across the world who are changemakers for their generation.

‘It is especially poignant as we mark what would have been Princess Diana’s 60th birthday. In a year that has seen young people’s lives disrupted by the Pandemic it is even more important that we honour, celebrate but also invest in young people, from across the world, who through their selfless trailblazing efforts have changed lives in their communities.

‘We know by receiving this honour they will inspire more young people to get involved in their communities and begin their own journey as active citizens.’