Prince William Is Spotted Ahead Of Diana Statue Unveiling With Harry Today

Jul 01, 2021 by apost team

Prince William looked pensive while driving around London today. The Duke of Cambridge was seen out and about ahead of Diana's statue unveiling that will take place today, July 1.

William and Harry have worked hard to preserve their mother's legacy both symbolically but also throughout their own charity work as parts of the royal family. Both brothers have taken carried on Diana's legacy in terms of being outspoken about mental health.

However, both brothers have taken drastically different paths in their life; while William has stuck to his duty, Harry took the unconventional path and left behind his role as a senior royal, opting instead for a life in the United States with his wife, Meghan Markle. His controversial decision has led to a major rift in the family.

The already existing tensions between Harry and Meghan and the rest of the royal family were further exacerbated due to their bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview, followed by their role in the Apple+ Docuseries "The Me You Can't See." 

Now, the brothers will be reunited for the first time since Prince Philip's funeral for the statue unveiling in honor of their late mother. However, Prince William and his brother Harry have been reportedly texting about England's soccer victory on Tuesday, and it's expected that the brothers will put their differences aside in order to honor the mother on what would have been her 60th birthday.

Read on to learn more about the reconciliation expected to take place today between William and Harry as they honor Princess Diana. 

Prince William and Prince Harry will unveil the statue of their late mother together, with Harry having traveled 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.

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 — William. The main unofficial memorial to the late Princess has until now been a fountain in Hyde Park in London.

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.

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The official unveiling of the statue will be Harry's first time seeing his family since Prince Philip's funeral in mid-April. An official "Sussex source" revealed to Harper's Bazaar that Meghan Markle won't be joining her husband for the event and will focus on caring for the couple's infant daughter, Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, at their Montecito home instead.

The Mirror had initially reported that Kate would help her husband William and his brother Harry put on a united front for the occasion. However, new reports show that Kate has been removed from the guestlist for the unveiling. The Sun reported that this means that Harry and William will be meeting without a "peacemaker" around them.  

According to The Daily Mail, the brothers have been texting about England's win against Germany on Tuesday night. Omid Scobie, the preferred royal reporter of the Sussexes, has said that the brothers will remain professional during the unveiling event, despite any previous tensions. Scobie said:

"What we will see is two brothers being professional in a moment that is not about them. This is going to be a moment we see them put everything to one side. We will just see professionalism and nothing else."

The brothers will certainly have to put their differences aside today as they unveil Diana's statue at one of her favorite places — the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace — which has been re-designed for the event. According to Tatler, over 200 roses, 100 forget-me-nots, 500 lavender plants, 100 dahlias, 50 sweet peas, and 300 tulips were planted in order to spruce up the garden with a new design. 

How do you think the brothers will behave at the unveiling? Isn't it nice that soccer brought them together? Let us know your thoughts, and be sure to pass this on to other royal fans you know!