Diana Statue Looks To Be Inspired By 1993 Christmas Card With William And Harry

Jul 02, 2021 by apost team

Unveiled on July 1 was the first official statue in honor of Diana, Princess of Wales. The date — which coincided with what would have been her 60th birthday — was pushed back due to the ongoing pandemic, but finally, the day for the statue's unveiling was upon us.

Prince William and Prince Harry unveiled the statue of their late mother together, with Harry traveling to the U.K. especially for the event. Unfortunately, however, Meghan Markle couldn't join him on the trip, as she stayed in the United States following the birth of the couple's daughter Lilibet Diana — who is named after both her great-grandmother and grandmother — earlier this month. The brothers commissioned the statue of their beloved mom back in 2017 for the 20th anniversary of her death.

Until this day, Princess Diana, who is also called the People's Princess, is remembered fondly all over the world for her impeccable fashion style, kind-hearted manner, and charity work. Diana's early death in 1997 devastated not only the British royal family but also fans across the globe. In the wake of her passing, memorabilia to her quickly rose to prominence.
The statue was unveiled in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace. However, the statue is not the only new addition to the garden. Over 4,000 flowers in total have been newly planted, as well as other garden renovations have been made in preparation for the event. 

The statue itself features Diana with three small children, and many are speculating that the sculptor drew inspiration from a Christmas card of Diana and her sons for the statute. Read on to learn more about where the inspiration for the statue came from. 

Nearly 25 years after Princess Diana's funeral, Prince William and Harry came together to pay tribute to their mother in a final completion of a project that started back in 2017. There have currently been tensions between Prince Harry and Meghan and the rest of the royal family due to their bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview, followed by their role in the Apple+ Docuseries "The Me You Can't See." 

The official unveiling of the statue was Harry's first time seeing his family since Prince Philip's funeral in mid-April. An official "Sussex source" revealed to Harper's Bazaar that Meghan Markle won't be joining her husband for the event and will focus on caring for the couple's infant daughter, Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor at their Montecito home instead.

Photos captured by BBC reporters showed both brothers uniting in front of the yet veiled statue in seeming harmony. The official statue of Diana, Princess of Wales is located at the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, a spot that is said to have been her favorite on the grounds. The Sunken Garden took on even more meaning later on in Nov. 2017 when Prince Harry announced his engagement to Meghan Markle there. 

The British sculptor behind the statue of Diana is Ian Rank-Broadley, who is acclaimed for his work, including designs that he's produced for British coinage. His work features in prestigious permanent collections of the British Museum and the National Portrait Gallery in London, as well as St Paul's Cathedral, which is where Diana and Prince Charles were married in July 1981.

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The new statue shows Diana with short hair accompanied by three children. In front, a paving stone is engraved with words inspired by the poem "The Measure of Man."

"Diana, Princess of Wales was an icon who touched the lives of people right around the world so it has been a privilege to work alongside Prince William and Prince Harry on this statue which commemorates her life," Rank-Broadley said of his work.

"We wanted to capture her warmth and humanity while showcasing the impact she had across generations. I hope that people will enjoy visiting the statue and the Sunken Garden, and taking a moment to remember the princess," he continued.

According to News Corp Australia, the sculptor may have found inspiration for the statue from Princess Diana's 1993 Christmas card. The card featured her in a similar belted pencil skirt and blouse, but with a young Prince William and Harry. The Christmas card was the first one sent out since her divorce from Prince Charles. The similarity between the photo and the statue is striking. The pleated blouse, jeweled belt, and sleek skirt on the statue are almost an identical replica to her outfit in the 1993 card. Diana also wore a similar look in July of 1988 while she and her sons were on summer vacation in Majorca. 

According to PEOPLE, Kensington Palace said the choice of outfit was specifically chosen to honor Diana's character:

"The portrait and style of dress was based on the final period of her life as she gained confidence in her role as an ambassador for humanitarian causes and aims to convey her character and compassion."  

What do you think about the striking resemblance between the card and the statue? Let us know your thoughts, and be sure to pass this on to your friends and family!