A NEW statue commemorating Princess Diana was unveiled yesterday in a special ceremony, on what would have been her 60th birthday.
Fans can visit the memorial today for free, after Prince Harry and Prince William put aside their differences yesterday for the special family ceremony.
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Princess Diana’s statue was unveiled in a private ceremony
Harry and William hope that the status will help to acknowledge her “positive impact” across the world
Harry and William came together for the special ceremony for their mother
Members of the public wait to be let in to view the statue of Diana, Princess of Wales, in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace this morning
The Princess of Wales statue will be available to the public to view for free in the Sunken Garden outside the entrance of Kensington Palace.
Some fans were waiting at 10am – when the memorial opened to the public – to get a glimpse of the memorial.
Guests do not have to pay to see the statue, which is in the surrounding grounds of the palace.
Members of the public will only have to pay to tour Kensington Palace itself, along with the various exhibits including to see Diana’s wedding dress.
Kensington Palace is closed to visitors on Mondays and Tuesdays, but open from 10am until 6pm Wednesday to Sunday.
Members of the Historic Royal Palaces can tour for free, while adult non-members must pay £23 and children £11.50.
The Celeb Reportken Garden was once a favourite haunt of the Princess, with the palace describing the ceremony as a “small event and a very personal moment for the family.”
The statue is located in one of Diana’s favourite parts of the Palace
Plans for the statue in honour of the Princess were revealed in 2017
The statue sits in the Sunken Garden in Kensington Palace – which was said to be a favourite place of Diana’s
Fans of the late princess were eager to get into the gardens this morning to see the new statue
On the website it advises that the memorial event will not have public access, and “will not be visible from the Broadwalk or surrounding area.”
Plans for the statue were announced in 2017, two decades after the Princess was killed in a car crash in Paris.
In a joint statement, the royal brothers said: “The statue was commissioned to mark the 20th anniversary of her death and recognize her positive impact in the UK and around the world.
“The statue will be installed in the Sunken Garden of Kensington Palace on 1st July 2021, marking the Princess’s 60th birthday.
“The Princes hope that the statue will help all those who visit Kensington Palace to reflect on their mother’s life and her legacy.”
Diana’s sister, Lady Sarah McCorquodale, was also member of the six-strong committee tasked with commissioning and privately raising funds for the creation of the statue.
She worked alongside Julia Samuel, a godparent of Prince George, who was a close friend of the princess.
The commission was chaired by Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, the brothers’ former principal private secretary.
Its members advised on the selection of the sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley and worked with Historic Royal Palaces on the statue’s installation.
Diana and Charles set up home in Kensington Palace with their sons for a short while
Hundreds of tributes and pictures were left to mark the Princess of Wales before the statue was unveiled
