Diana, 60 Years: The Details Of The Statue Of Diana, Princess Of Wales

Jun 29, 2021 by apost team

Set to be unveiled on July 1 is the first official statue in honor of Diana, Princess of Wales. The date — which coincides with what would have been her 60th birthday — has been pushed back due to the ongoing pandemic, but finally, the day for the statue's unveiling is nearly upon us.

Prince William and Prince Harry will unveil the statue of their late mother together, with Harry traveling to the U.K. especially for the event. Unfortunately, however, Meghan Markle won't be joining him on the trip, as she is staying in the United States following the birth of the couple's daughter Lilibet Diana — who is named after both her great-grandmother and grandmother — earlier this month. The brothers commissioned the statue of their beloved mom back in 2017 for the 20th anniversary of her death.

Until this day, Princess Diana, who is also called the People's Princess, is remembered fondly all over the world for her impeccable fashion style, kind-hearted manner and charity work. Diana's early death in 1997 devastated not only the British royal family but also fans across the globe. In the wake of her passing, memorabilia to her quickly rose to prominence.

While there have been lulls of interest, Princess Diana remains a popular person and topic even to this day. Certain events and occasions such as documentaries or Netflix's recent series "The Crown" keep people interested in everything there is to know about Diana and the tragic tale behind her rise as a British princess.

Now, with the statue's unveiling at the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, there will be a location that fans can visit to pay their respects. Let's take a look at the story behind this ode to one of the royal family's most admired members. 

As reported by the BBC, a statement released by Prince William and Prince Harry back in 2017 said:

"It has been 20 years since our mother's death and the time is right to recognise her positive impact in the UK and around the world with a permanent statue."

It continued:

"Our mother touched so many lives. We hope the statue will help all those who visit Kensington Palace to reflect on her life and her legacy."

The official statue of Diana, Princess of Wales will be located at the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, a spot that is said to have been her favorite on the grounds. The BBC also reported in 2017 that the statue had been a long time coming, considering Diana was the wife of a future king — Prince Charles — and the mother of another — Prince William. The main unofficial memorial to the late princess has until now been a fountain in Hyde Park in London.

For the 20th anniversary of Diana's death, many of her favorite flowers were featured in the Sunken Garden — a project that was started two seasons before the display was unveiled when over 12,000 bulbs were initially planted. The flowers on display included white lilies, white roses, forget-me-nots, tulips, Cosmo daisies and narcissi. Royal Central reports that the palace's website said of the tribute, “inspired by memories of the Princess’s life, image and style.” 

The Sunken Garden took on even more meaning later on in Nov. 2017 when Prince Harry announced his engagement to Meghan Markle there. 

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The British sculptor behind the statue of Diana is Ian Rank-Broadley, who is acclaimed for his work, including designs that he's produced for British coinage. His work features in prestigious permanent collections of the British Museum and the National Portrait Gallery in London, as well as St Paul's Cathedral, which is where Diana and Prince Charles were married in July 1981. Just last week it was announced that he designed the commemorative £5 coin made in Prince Philip's honor, which was unveiled on Armed Forces Day on June 26.

The late princess will also be honored in other ways this summer, to coincide with her milestone birthday. Her iconic wedding dress, designed by David and Elizabeth Emmanuel, will be put on display at Kensington Palace. The silk taffeta gown features a 25-ft train and is decorated with Carrickmacross lace, 10,000 pearls and sequins. Additionally, it features a good luck charm by way of a small, secret 18k gold horseshoe that was stitched into the petticoats.

Furthermore, Diana's London apartment where she lived before marrying Charles will be marked with a special "blue plaque." Awarded by the English Heritage Trust, blue plaques are placed at the homes and workplaces of historically significant people in commemoration of their lives. Other memorials have been created in London in Diana's honor including Kensington Palace's Diana Memorial Playground, Hyde Park's Diana Memorial Foundation and St James Palace's Diana Memorial Walk.

Tragically, Diana was just 36 when she died in a car crash on Aug. 31, 1997, in Paris, France. At the time, her sons Prince William and Prince Harry were just 15 and 12 years old respectively. 

Are you interested to see what the statue in honor of Diana will look like? Pass on the news to those you know so they can learn about how Diana, Princess of Wales is being honored too.