Prince William and Prince Harry unveiled a statue of their mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace on what would have been her 60th Birthday on 1 July.
The statue was commissioned by the brothers in 2017 to memorialise their mother and mark the twentieth anniversary of her death. Prince William and Prince Harry 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 unveiling took place at a small family event attended by 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.
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. The figure of Diana, Princess of Wales is surrounded by three children who represent the universality and generational impact of The Princess’ work. The portrait and style of dress were 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.
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 after the poem The Measure of A Man which featured in the programme for the 2007 memorial service for The Princess:
“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 statue was sculpted by Ian Rank-Broadley and is 1.25x life-size. It 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.
Prince William and Prince Harry said: “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.”
The sculptor, Ian Rank-Broadley 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.”
The statue is situated in the Sunken Garden of Kensington Palace, which was one of The Princess’ favourite locations. The Princes hope that the statue will help all those who visit Kensington Palace to reflect on their mother’s life and her legacy. Work on the garden began in October 2019, and since then five gardeners have spent a total of 1000 hours working on planting. Over 4000 individual Flowers have been planted, including:
• over 200 roses, of five varieties including Ballerina and Blush Noisette
• 100 Forget-me-nots
• 300 tulips, of three varieties including White Triumphator and China Pink
• over 500 lavender plants
• over 100 dahlias
• 50 sweet peas
• over 400m of fine, short cut turf has also been laid
