William And Harry Reunite With Princess Diana's Siblings At Statue Unveiling

Jul 02, 2021 by apost team

On July 1, Prince William and Prince Harry reunited for the first time since Prince Philip’s April funeral ceremony at Windsor Castle. The brothers came together at Kensington Palace on Thursday to commemorate and unveil a statue of their mother, Princess Diana, on what would have been her 60th birthday. Given the apparent rift that has grown between Harry and the royal family, the event was also notable in that it saw the Duke of Sussex return to his home country to be with his brother and other members of the royal family, whom he has openly criticized in the past year.

The already tense relationship between Harry, Prince William and the rest of the family was ignited further after Harry and Markle sat down with Oprah Winfrey for a controversial interview in March.

While the royal family released a comment following the interview, there have been continued reports of a growing distance between Harry and the rest of the royals, especially his brother William. However, their fraught relationship seems to have thawed a little after the funeral service for their grandfather, where they were seen chatting together. News outlets also report that Kate Middleton may have helped to bring the two back together.

With Princess Diana's statue unveiling, many fans were curious if the brotherly tension would amount to a scene at the event. But reports of the July 1 unveiling have commented on the event’s low-key character and the brothers’ friendliness toward one another. The unveiling’s low-key nature is partly attributable to the fact that COVID-19 restrictions meant that the event was only sparsely attended, though Harry and William were able to reunite with their late mother’s siblings: Lady Jane Fellowes, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Charles Spencer.

Hello! Magazine reported that Harry enthusiastically greeted Diana’s three siblings, and photos show the prince kissing his aunts Jane and Sarah on both cheeks while giving his uncle Charles a friendly handshake.

Charles, the late princess’ youngest sibling, commemorated his sister’s 60th birthday in his own way on Thursday, opening Althorp House — the Spencer family’s historical estate — to the public.

"We are opening our gates tomorrow and looking forward to greeting every one of you!” the estate said in a statement on Twitter.

Thursday’s main focus was on Harry, William and their late mother, however.

"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,” William and Harry said in their joint statement that accompanied the unveiling of their late mother’s statue.

"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,” they continued.

Princess Diana was universally loved by not only the British public but also by people the world over. She used her influence to enact good, spending much of her time campaigning for humanitarian causes that improved the lives of others. She sat with people who were ill, helping to break the stigma of the then-new disease AIDS. These are the reasons she became known as the "People's Princess" — she was a shining beacon of light in the royal family.

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It's been nearly 24 years since she tragically passed away in a car accident in Paris, but whenever we see photos of her it's still incredibly moving. This is a testament to how much the public adored her, and she's still often talked about and even featured in the media — whether for her charitable deeds or impeccable fashion sense.

The official statue of Diana, Princess of Wales, is located at the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, a spot that is said to have been her favorite on the grounds. The Guardian reported that the statue has been in the works since 2017, when plans were announced on Diana’s 20th death anniversary. The main unofficial memorial to the late princess has until now been a fountain in Hyde Park in London.

The new statue, sculpted by Ian Rank-Broadley, shows Diana with short hair accompanied by three children. In front, a paving stone is engraved with words inspired by the poem “The Measure of Man.”

“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,” Rank-Broadley said of his work.

“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,” he continued.

What do you think of Diana’s statue? Are you surprised that the event went so smoothly? Let us know — and be sure to pass this on to friends, family members and fans of the royal family.