Princes William and Harry came together on July 1, 2021 to share a sweet moment as they
honored their late mother, Princess Diana, on what would have been her 60th birthday.
The brothers gathered with a small group of Diana's family members to unveil a statue
of the Princess of Wales, which featured her likeness standing with three children.
The event was held in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, which is said to have been
one of Diana's favorite places.
That statue was first commissioned by William and Harry back in 2017 around the 20th anniversary
of Diana's heartbreaking death.
However, due to delays, the unveiling was pushed back until July 1, which perfectly
commemorated Diana's milestone birthday.
The brothers said in a joint statement,
"Our mother touched so many lives.
We hope the statue will help all those who visit Kensington Palace to reflect on her
life and her legacy."
Following the unveiling, it was revealed that in front of Princess Diana's statue a paving
stone is engraved with an excerpt from the poem "The Measure of A Man."
In addition to the beautiful statue, Prince William and Prince Harry also prepared a joint
statement about their late mother on her birthday.
"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.
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 princes continued,
"Thank you to Ian Rank-Broadley, Pip Morrison and their teams for their outstanding work,
the friends and donors who helped make this happen, and to all those around the world
who keep our mother's memory alive."
Meanwhile, Kensington Palace explained in a statement,
"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."
Of course, fans have already started singing the praises of the statue as it will serve
as a constant reminder of Diana's impact on the world.
And after the joint statement from William and Harry was released, fans of the royal
family offered their support.
Referring to the excerpt from "The Measure of A Man," which was chosen by the Duke of
Cambridge and the Duke of Sussex, one user wrote,
"Beautiful and fitting poem — great they got to do this without the 'pomp and circumstance'
often surrounding such things."
Another user added,
"I love that poem.
It fits Diana's life so perfectly!
It's a beautiful statue and memorial to Diana."
The joint statement was a rarity, as the two brothers tend to each give personal statements
throughout the year honoring their mother.
For instance, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge marked Mother's Day in 2020 by sharing a photo
of a young Prince William with his mother, Princess Diana.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle previously posted about the late Princess of Wales from
time to time on the Sussex Royal Instagram account, sharing her famous quotes and pictures.
Though Prince William and Prince Harry shared a moment together at the statue unveiling
at the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, the two brothers are barely on speaking terms,
per The New York Times.
Those keeping tabs on the royal family say that William is still upset with Harry for
his description of royal life during his interview with Oprah Winfrey.
Not only did the Duke of Sussex refer to the royal palace as a sort of prison, but he also
claimed that they left him and his family high and dry when they needed help, in terms
of mental health resources and security.
"There were some real obvious signs, before we even got married, that this was gonna be
really hard."
Observers at the ceremony also noticed how the two princes stood rather far apart from
one another at the statue unveiling.
Others pointed out that they could have done this simply so that they wouldn't block the
view of the statue for the photographers.
But while William and Harry shared a few brief words before the 30-minute ceremony and after,
they did not seem nearly as close as they once were.
Harry left as quickly as he came, heading back to the airport as soon as the ceremony
was over.
Check out one of our newest videos right here!
Plus, even more List videos about the royal family are coming soon.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit the bell so you don't miss a single one.