New statue to honour Princess Diana: 5 things you need to know

It’s set to be one of the biggest events on the royal calendar this year – the unveiling of the new statue of Princess Diana in July.

The People’s Princess tragically passed away on 31 August 1997 yet her legacy continues and she’s still much loved by millions around the globe.

As royal fans count down the days to the special occasion, here’s what we know about it so far.

1 Commissioned by sons

William and Harry with Diana during a holiday with the Spanish royal family at the Marivent Palace in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, August 1987. (Photo: Gallo Images/Getty Images)

The statue was commissioned by Prince William and Prince Harry in 2017 to mark the 20^th anniversary of their mother’s death. When they announced it, they said they hoped the sculpture would help all those who visited it to “reflect on her life and her legacy and to recognise her positive impact”.

2 Sunken Garden

The statue will be placed in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace. (Photo: Gallo Images/Getty Images)

Set to be installed on what would have been her 60^th birthday – 1 July 2021 – it will be placed in the Sunken Garden in Kensington Palace, a place the princess was sentimental about and would visit it for moments of quiet contemplation.

3 British sculptor

Acclaimed British sculptor, Ian Rank-Broadley, has been commissioned to do the new Diana statue. (Photo: Gallo Images/Getty Images)

The creator of the sculpture is Ian Rank-Broadley, one of England’s most acclaimed artists. His effigy of Queen Elizabeth has appeared on all UK coins since 1998 and he recently completed work on one of the most important war memorials since World War 2, the Armed Forces Memorial.

4 Several memorials

The Diana, Princess of Wales, Memorial Fountain in London, is an ode to the popular royal. (Photo: Gallo Images/Getty Images)

There are already several London memorials that have been created in tribute to Diana, including the Diana Memorial Playground at Kensington Palace, the Diana Memorial Fountain in Hyde Park and the Diana Memorial Walk at St James Palace. A memorial garden known as the White Garden was also planted at Kensington Palace to mark the 20^th anniversary of her death.

5 Brother reunion

Royals fans will be watching with a keen eye to see the reunion of the estranged brothers at the unveiling. (Photo: Gallo Images/Getty Images)

The installation is likely to mark the first reunion of Harry (36) and William (38) since Harry left the UK at the end of March last year for the US with Meghan Markle to start their new life. Harry is said to be determined to return to his home country for the unveiling. It’s unlikely his wife, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, will join him. She’s expecting their second child so there’s the risk of travelling as well as the ongoing pandemic concerns.

 Sources: bbc.com, gardencollage.com, express.co.uk