Kensington Palace Reveals Symbolic Details on Princess Diana's Statue

Princess Diana was recently honored with a statue at Kensington Palace, and her special bond with children was on full display because of her love for charity.

Prince Harry and Prince William reunited on Thursday, July 1, which would have been Diana's 60th birthday, for the statue unveiling ceremony.

Together, the siblings pulled a green cloth off to reveal the sculpture of their late mother with her arms around a boy and a girl, with a third child in the background.

According to People, the decision to include children in the tribute was to pay homage to the late royal's remarkable ability to bond with people, particularly young ones.

The Princess of Wales worked closely with many children-focused charities, including children’s hospitals and support for homeless youth. She was a patron to over 100 charities.

The Diana Award charity started in her honor, also works to develop and inspire positive change in the lives of young people.

Kensington Palace said the princess had gained confidence in her role as an ambassador for humanitarian causes, and the statue aims to convey her character and compassion.

“The statue aims to reflect the warmth, elegance, and energy of Diana, Princess of Wales, in addition to her work and the impact she had on so many people," the palace said.

The royals explained the figure of Princess Diana is surrounded by three children who represent the universality and generational impact of her work.

Prince Harry and Prince William commissioned the statue in 2017 to memorialize their mother and mark the twentieth anniversary of her death.

The princes wanted the statue to recognize her positive impact in the United Kingdom and worldwide and help future generations understand the significance of her place in history.

The brothers were very involved in the details of the sculpture. Robert Lacey, the author of “Battle of the Brothers," said the statue's design was in the works way before Prince Harry became a father.

People questioned whether the inclusion of a young black boy in the final design a suggestion was made by the Duke of Sussex.

It would make sense that he would love to see his son represented in the statue because it would accurately reflect the royal family and honor Princess Diana's global humanitarian efforts.

A source told The Telegraph that the siblings worked for "months collaborating on the design" and were meticulous about every detail, including "advising the sculptor on how her nose should look" and ensured the structure was placed in a favorable location.

The Princess of Wales is remembered as the "people's princess," a giving humanitarian as well as a loving mother. She wanted to bring up her sons as normal as possible despite being royalty.

The royal made time for her children, and from the time when they were born, she did the opposite of what was expected of the mother of the royal heirs and chose their own names and breastfed them as infants. She once said:

“I live for my sons. I would be lost without them.”

The princess was also a style icon and captured the world’s attention as a trendsetter. While the royals often wore gloves and hats at events, the princess opted not to during public outings and engagements.

She abandoned the royal protocol of wearing gloves because she liked holding hands when visiting people or shake hands and have direct contact.

Eleri Lynn, the curator of an exhibition on Diana's style, previously told People: "She also stopped wearing hats because she said, "You can't cuddle a child in a hat."

It’s been more than 20 years since Princess Diana’s death, and her sons, including spouses Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle, and their kids, have continued to keep her memory alive and honor her.

Prince William proposed to Middleton with Diana’s 18-carat sapphire and diamond engagement ring from Prince Charles in October 2010. “This was my way of making sure that my mother didn’t miss out,” he told the reporters the following month.

At Prince Harry and Markle’s May 2018 wedding, the guests sang “Guide Me, O Thy Great Redeemer." They sang the same hymn at Princess Diana’s 1997 funeral and the Cambridges’ wedding in 2011.