Prince Harry and Prince William have seemingly put their differences aside for their latest royal engagement, appearing in Kensington Palace’s Sunken Garden to unveil a new statue of their late mother, Princess Diana, on what would have been the late royal’s 60th birthday.
Prince Charles, as well as Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, were not present at the event, but the Princess of Wales’ family was in attendance alongside Harry and Wills, as well as statue committee, sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley, and garden designer Pip Morrison. Meghan Markle, following the birth of the couple’s daughter Lili on June 4, remained in California and was not able to make the special occasion.
Royal reporter Rebecca English and royal reporter Omid Scobie revealed what engraving beneath the state said, which was an excerpt from “The Measure of A Man,” which was featured in the program of the 2007 memorial service for Princess Diana. “There 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?”
Here are some photos from the event:
To celebrate the unveiling, Harry and William released a joint statement. It read:
“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. 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.”
Once the statue was unveiled, many were curious to know who the three young children surrounding the late royal were.
According to People, the decision to include children was as a means to pay homage to “Princess Diana’s special ability to bond with people, particularly young ones.”
Kensington Palace said Diana had “gained confidence in her role as an ambassador for humanitarian causes” and the statue “aims to convey her character and compassion.”
