Princess Diana's Favorite Garden: Details On The Floral Haven Where William And Harry Are Unveiling Her Statue

Jul 01, 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 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.

The statue is set to be unveiled in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace. However, the statue is not the only new addition to the garden. Over 4,000 flowers in total have been newly planted, as well as other garden renovations have been made in preparation for the event. 

Read on to learn more about the new additions to the garden that have been made to add to the special day of the statue's unveiling. 

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.

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.

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 reported 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 new design of the Sunken Garden in honor of what would have been Diana's 60th birthday has retained the historical structure of the garden but has simplified its borders for an added calm. 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. Pip Morrison, the designer of the new garden layout, said that it had been a very special project to work on. Morrison said:

"We have worked carefully to ensure that the new layout and planting scheme compliments the statue, providing a calming place for people who visit Kensington Palace to remember The Princess."

According to Tatler, Graham Dillamore, Deputy Head of Gardens and Estates at Historic Royal Palaces, reflected on Diana's thoughts on the garden before her passing. He said:

"While she was in residence at Kensington Palace, Diana, Princess of Wales regularly admired the changing floral displays in the Sunken Garden and would always stop to talk with me and the other gardeners who cared for it."

Dillamore then went on to talk about what it's like now being a part of the team to resign Diana's serene spot:

"Over three decades later, I'm honoured to have been part of the team preparing the garden for the installation of this statue. We've incorporated a number of the Princess's favourite flowers into the design, and I hope that visitors to the palace and gardens will enjoy its peaceful setting, and take a moment to reflect on the life and legacy of the Princess."

What do you think about the redesign of the Sunken Garden? Let us know your thoughts, and be sure to pass this on to other Princess Diana fans you know!