Prince William and Harry Reunite to Unveil Princess Diana's Statue | "We Remember Her Love, Strength and Character" on 60th Birthday

"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," the brothers said in a joint statement.

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By Devika Menon

July 2, 2021

Posted July 2, 2021

Setting their differences aside, Prince William and Prince Harry came together to honor their late mother, Princess Diana, on July 1, to celebrate what would have been her 60th birthday. According to PEOPLE, the brothers reunited at Kensington Palace, their childhood home, on Thursday, to unveil a statue of their mother with three children beside her. The children reflect Diana's work to support and nurture children around the world.

"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 a joint statement released on Thursday. The statue is installed in the Sunken Garden of Kensington Palace, which is said to have been "one of the princess's favourite locations" while she lived at the palace, according to BBC.

The statement continued, "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." While thanking the team who brought the statue and the garden surrounding it to life, the brothers also expressed their appreciation for "all those around the world who keep our mother's memory alive."

After pictures of the statue were shared online, people couldn't help but question who the three children were along with the princess of Wales. They reportedly represent the “universality and generational impact” of her work, according to a statement by Kensington Palace, per Independent. It then mentioned that Diana “gained confidence in her role as an ambassador for humanitarian causes” and that the statue “aims to convey her character and compassion.”

Geo News reveals that “The portrait and style of dress was based on the final period of her life, as she gained confidence in her role as an ambassador for humanitarian causes and aims to convey her character and compassion.” The statue sports Diana's iconic bob with a button-down blouse and skirt featuring a statement belt — which is reportedly the same outfit she sported in a 1993 holiday card featuring Prince Harry and Prince William, per PEOPLE.

At the bottom of the statue, there is a plinth engraved with Diana’s name and the date of the unveiling. In front of the statue, a paving stone is inscribed with an extract from the poem The Measure of a Man. The author of the poem is unknown, but the extract says, “These are the units to measure the worth/Of this woman as a woman regardless of birth/Not what was her station?/But had she a heart?/How did she play her God-given part?”

The number of guests went down from a hundred to barely a handful due to the Covid restriction in the UK. Close family members of Princess Diana, statue committee members, the statue's sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley and Pip Morrison, the designer of the Sunken Garden were among the attendees.

Despite rumors of the brothers being engulfed in a cold war with each other, Prince Harry and Prince William were pictured happily chatting to one another at the event, as they welcomed members of Diana's family, including her brother, Charles, 9th Earl Spencer, and her sisters, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Jane Fellowes, Baroness Fellowes.

However, William's wife Kate Middleton didn't attend the event, nor did Harry's wife, Meghan Markle, who is in California with the couple's two young children: 2-year-old son Archie Harrison and their daughter Lilibet Diana, who was born on June 4.

Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles, and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall weren't in attendance, either.