Prince Harry, Prince William reunite at Princess Diana statue unveiling
Prince Harry and Prince William reunited for Thursday’s unveiling of a statue of their late mother, Princess Diana, at Kensington Palace in London.
The royal brothers, whose relationship has been fractured in recent years, joined forces to honor Diana on what would have been her 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, 39, and Harry, 36, said in a rare joint statement.
“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 legacy,” the statement continued.
The statue, which features Diana standing beside three children to represent her “generational impact,” includes a paving stone engraved with the message, “There 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?”
Due to COVID-19 protocols, the guest list for the unveiling was scaled back to only 15 people, including Diana’s sisters, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes, and her brother, Charles Spencer.
In their statement, William and Harry thanked sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley and garden designer Pip Morrison, who were also part of the guest list.
“Thank you to Ian Rank-Broadley, Pip Morrison and their teams for their outstanding work, to the friends and donors who helped make this happen, and to all those around the world who keep our mother’s memory alive,” the siblings said.
William and Harry’s respective wives, Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle, were not in attendance, nor was Diana’s ex-husband, Prince Charles, who was reportedly in Scotland.
Diana, who was married to Charles from 1981 to 1996, tragically died in a car crash in Paris in 1997. She was 36 years old.
At the time of Diana’s death, William was 15 and Harry was 12.
Ahead of Thursday’s event, Harry — who split from the royal family in early 2020 with Meghan, 39, and moved to the US — became emotional during a virtual appearance at the Diana Award ceremony, which was set up in memory of the Princess of Wales.
“Later this week, my brother [William] and I are recognizing what would have been my mum’s 60th birthday, and she would have been so proud of you all for living an authentic life with purpose and compassion for others,” the Duke of Sussex said Monday.
