Thursday, July 1, 2021

WILLIAM AND HARRY UNVEIL DIANA STATUE AT KENSINGTON PALACE

 BBC News 1 July 2021 - by Hazel Shearing



The Dukes of Cambridge and Sussex have unveiled a statue of their mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, on what would have been her 60th birthday.

The event is William and Harry's first appearance together since the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral in April.

The statue stands in Kensington Palace's redesigned Sunken Garden.

When the brothers commissioned it in 2017, they said they hoped it would help visitors to the palace "reflect on her life and her legacy".

They were photographed standing next to one another at the ceremony.

Prince Harry and Prince William next to the statue of DianaIMAGE COPYRIGHTDOMINIC LIPINSKI
Prince Harry and Prince William next to the statue of DianaIMAGE COPYRIGHTDOMINIC LIPINSKI

Harry, who lives in the US with his wife, the Duchess of Sussex, and their two children, arrived in the UK last week in order to complete his quarantine ahead of Thursday's event.

Prince Harry and Prince William next to the statue of DianaIMAGE COPYRIGHTPA MEDIA

Diana's brother, Charles Spencer, was among those at the ceremony at Kensington Palace, Diana's former home in London.

Earl SpencerIMAGE COPYRIGHTREUTERS
Tributes for Princess Diana outside Kensington PalaceIMAGE COPYRIGHTREUTERS
image captionTributes to Princess Diana were seen outside Kensington Palace on Thursday

Kensington Palace said the Sunken Garden had been "one of the princess's favourite locations" when she lived there.

More than 4,000 flowers have been planted for the garden's redesign, which has taken 1,000 hours to complete.

The garden, which sits within London's Hyde Park, will be open to the public to visit for free from Friday, in line with Kensington Palace's opening hours.