This morning, Princes William and Harry put aside any current difficulties in their relationship to honor and remember their mother Princess Diana. The two brothers gathered alongside Diana's siblings in the Sunken Garden of Kensington Palace to unveil a new statue of the late royal.
The bronze work, which was commissioned by the brothers in 2017 to mark the twentieth anniversary of their mother's tragic death, features Diana surrounded by three children who, according to a statement shared by Kensington Palace this morning, "represent the universality and generational impact of The Princess’ work."
The statue, which was crafted by sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley and is 1.25x life size, and, per the Palace, "the portrait and style of dress was based on the final period of her life as she gained confidence in her role as an ambassador for humanitarian causes and aims to convey her character and compassion."
In front of the statue is a stone engraved with a portion of the poem "The Measure of a Man," which was featured in the program for the 2007 memorial service for the Princess.
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?”
Harry and William also released a statement this morning, sharing that “every day, we wish she were still with us.”
Read their message in full below:
“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.”
Caroline Hallemann is the Digital Director at Town & Country, where she covers culture, society, and entertainment, as well as the British royal family, among a variety of other topics. Prior to leading the digital team at T&C, she served as the brand's Senior News Editor and Digital News Director, and has previously held positions at Travel + Leisure, DailyCandy, and Parenting Magazine. Caroline is also currently writing a book about the Kennedy family and the British royals, and she lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband and their son, Tommy. You can find her on Instagram at the handle @challemann and on TikTok at @carolinehallemann.
