The Reasons Princess Diana's Statue Location Holds Significant Meaning For Prince Harry & Meghan Markle

Jul 02, 2021 by apost team

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

Prince William and Prince Harry unveiled the statue of their late mother together, with Harry traveling to the U.K. for the event. Unfortunately, however, Meghan Markle couldn't join him on the trip, as she stayed 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 of her quickly rose to prominence.

The statue was unveiled in the Sunken Garden, also called the White 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 that have been made in preparation for the event. 

The statue itself features Diana with three small children, and many are speculating that the sculptor drew inspiration from a Christmas card of Diana and her sons for the statute. However, aside from all of this, the garden also holds a special place for Prince Harry and his wife Meghan.

Kensington Palace is something of a historical place for many members of the British royal family, as many of them have lived there over the years. Most famously, Princess Diana lived there while she separated from Prince Charles, and later Harry and William also turned it into their home base at some point.

Diana used to love the property's greenery and gardens. "She would stop by and talk to the gardeners when she was living here," Sean Harkin, who used to be head gardener at Kensington Palace, told Vogue. "She might be going out for a jog or a walk in the park and if it was early and it was quiet, she would have a chat with them."

Prior to the unveiling of the new statue commemorating the princess, the White Garden or Sunken Garden was redesigned to honor Princess Diana's memory. Over a thousand work hours were put into redesigned the large garden, with Pip Morrison, an expert on historical gardens and landscaping, being the lead designer for the project.

Some of Princess Diana's favorite flowers were incorporated, such as roses, forget-me-nots, tulips, lavender, dahlias and sweet peas. They were used to decorate the garden and to complement the new statue of the People's Princess.

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

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But years prior to the statue unveiling on July 1, Harry already showed the world the importance the garden had earned in his heart. He chose the Sunken Garden as the spot where the celebration for his and Meghan Markle's engagement on Nov. 27, 2017 took place.

Back in 2017, Meghan and Harry stepped out in the Sunken Garden, where they posed for official photographs after they had given the announcement of their impending marriage. There was no doubt that the move was designed to honor his late mother's memory and to make her a part of the proceedings when she sadly could not be there in person to celebrate with them.

The couple also paid tribute to the late Diana after the birth of their daughter earlier this year. They named their little one Lilibet "Lili" Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, which was a touching nod to both Diana and her great-grandmother, the queen.

Ahead of the statue unveiling, Harry again honored his mother's legacy during a video address he had recorded. Harry went on to say:

"Later this week, my brother and I are recognising what would have been our mum's 60th birthday, and she would be so proud of you all for living authentic life with purpose and with compassion for others.
"Our mum believed that young people have the power to change the world. She believed in your strength because she saw it day in and day out and in the faces of young people exactly like you, she witnessed a boundless enthusiasm and passion.
"And I too see those same values shine through as it has done for 21 years now, The Diana Award carries her legacy forward by putting young people at the centre of our future.
"And this has never been more important." 

Did you know the Sunken Garden was also called the White Garden or that it held such importance for Harry and Meghan? What do you think about the garden's redesign? Tell us your thoughts and pass this story along!