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British Royals

Diana’s statue at Kensington Palace revealed

The statue of Diana, Princess of Wales has been unveiled at Kensington Palace.

Her two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, revealed the memorial on the afternoon of July 1st 2021, the 60th anniversary of Diana’s birth.

The sculpture, by Ian Rank-Broadley, shows Diana with three children, chosen to represent the impact of her work across generations as well as its universality.

William and Harry unveiled the work together. The statue sits in the Sunken Garden, one of Diana’s favourite places. The garden has been redesigned to house the monument and now contains thousands more of Diana’s favourite flowers including forget-me-nots and sweet peas.

Beneath the statue is a plinth bearing the princess’ name and the date her sons revealed the memorial to the world. There is also a plaque bearing the words of a poem used at a memorial to Diana in 2007. 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?”

Ahead of the unveiling, the Duke of Cambridge and the Duke of Sussex released a rare joint statement in which they paid a poignant tribute to their mother, saying “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. 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.

Diana’s sisters and her brother were also present at the unveiling of the statue.

About author

Lydia Starbuck is Jubilee and Associate Editor at Royal Central and the main producer and presenter of the Royal Central Podcast and Royal Central Extra. Lydia is also a pen name of June Woolerton who is a journalist and writer with over twenty years experience in TV, radio, print and online. Her latest book, A History of British Royal Jubilees, is out now. Her new book, The Mysterious Death of Katherine Parr, will be published in March 2024. June is an award winning reporter, producer and editor. She's appeared on outlets including BBC 5 Live, BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Local Radio and has also helped set up a commercial radio station. June is also an accomplished writer with a wide range of material published online and in print. She is the author of two novels, published as e-books. She is also a marriage registrar and ceremony celebrant.