Princes William, Harry unveil Princess Diana's statue
LONDON (AP) - Princes William and Harry unveiled a statue of their mother, Princess Diana, on what would have been her 60th birthday Thursday in a small - and brief - ceremony at London's Kensington Palace.
Diana´s family joined the two brothers for the ceremony at the palace's Sunken Garden, a place in which the princess once found solace. It was the first time the brothers have appeared in public together since the funeral of their grandfather, Prince Philip.
The brothers later issued a joint statement in which they described their mother's strength and character as "qualities that made her a force for good around the world."
"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," they said.
Britain's Prince William, left and Prince Harry unveil a statue they commissioned of their mother Princess Diana, on what woud have been her 60th birthday, in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, London, Thursday July 1, 2021. (Dominic Lipinski /Pool Photo via AP)
Britain's Prince William, left and Prince Harry unveil a statue they commissioned of their mother Princess Diana, on what woud have been her 60th birthday, in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, London, Thursday July 1, 2021. (Dominic Lipinski /Pool Photo via AP)
Britain's Prince William and Prince Harry arrive for the statue unveiling on what would have been Princess Diana's 60th birthday, in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, London, Thursday July 1, 2021. (Yui Mok/Pool Photo via AP)
Royal fans share a toast as they stand in front of the gates of Kensington Palace in London, Thursday, July 1, 2021, to mark what would have been Princess Diana's 60th birthday. Princes William and Harry are due on Thursday to unveil a statue of their mother, Princess Diana, on what would have been her 60th birthday. The event in the Sunken Garden at London's Kensington Palace will be their second public meeting since Harry and Meghan stepped away from royal duties over a year ago. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
Royal fan John Loughrey drinks a toast in front of the gates of Kensington Palace in London, Thursday, July 1, 2021, to mark what would have been Princess Diana's 60th birthday. Princes William and Harry are due on Thursday to unveil a statue of their mother, Princess Diana, on what would have been her 60th birthday. The event in the Sunken Garden at London's Kensington Palace will be their second public meeting since Harry and Meghan stepped away from royal duties over a year ago. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
Britain's Prince William and Prince Harry arrive for the statue unveiling on what would have been Princess Diana's 60th birthday, in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, London, Thursday July 1, 2021. (Yui Mok/Pool Photo via AP)
Britain's Prince William and Prince Harry arrive for the statue unveiling on what would have been Princess Diana's 60th birthday, in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, London, Thursday July 1, 2021. (Yui Mok/Pool Photo via AP)
Britain's Prince William, left and Prince Harry unveil a statue they commissioned of their mother Princess Diana, on what woud have been her 60th birthday, in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, London, Thursday July 1, 2021. (Dominic Lipinski /Pool Photo via AP)
Britain's Prince William, left and Prince Harry unveil a statue they commissioned of their mother Princess Diana, on what woud have been her 60th birthday, in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, London, Thursday July 1, 2021. (Dominic Lipinski /Pool Photo via AP)
Charles Spencer, the 9th Earl Spencer, arrives at Kensington Palace in London, Thursday, July 1, 2021, to mark what would have been his sister Princess Diana's 60th birthday. Princes William and Harry are due on Thursday to unveil a statue of their mother, Princess Diana, on what would have been her 60th birthday. The event in the Sunken Garden at London's Kensington Palace will be their second public meeting since Harry and Meghan stepped away from royal duties over a year ago. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
Britain's Prince William and Prince Harry arrive for the statue unveiling on what would have been Princess Diana's 60th birthday, in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, London, Thursday July 1, 2021. (Yui Mok/Pool Photo via AP)
Britain's Prince William, second left, and Prince Harry, second right, talk to, Rupert Gavin, Chairman of Historic Royal Palaces, left, and Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton the former Private Secretary to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and to Prince Harry, who sat on the statue committee, ahead of the statue unveiling on what would have been Princess Diana's 60th birthday, in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, London, Thursday July 1, 2021. (Yui Mok/Pool Photo via AP)
Britain's Prince William and Prince Harry arrive for the statue unveiling on what would have been Princess Diana's 60th birthday, in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, London, Thursday July 1, 2021. (Yui Mok/Pool Photo via AP)
Britain's Prince William and Prince Harry gesture, during the unveiling of a statue they commissioned of their mother Princess Diana, on what woud have been her 60th birthday, in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, London, Thursday July 1, 2021. (Dominic Lipinski /Pool Photo via AP)
Britain's Prince William, left and Prince Harry unveil a statue they commissioned of their mother Princess Diana, on what woud have been her 60th birthday, in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, London, Thursday July 1, 2021. (Dominic Lipinski /Pool Photo via AP)
Britain's Prince Harry smiles as he and Prince William unveil a statue they commissioned of their mother Princess Diana, on what woud have been her 60th birthday, in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, London, Thursday July 1, 2021. (Dominic Lipinski /Pool Photo via AP)
Britain's Prince William, left and Prince Harry unveil a statue they commissioned of their mother Princess Diana, on what woud have been her 60th birthday, in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, London, Thursday July 1, 2021. (Dominic Lipinski /Pool Photo via AP)
Britain's Prince William and Prince Harry arrive for the statue unveiling on what would have been Princess Diana's 60th birthday, in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, London, Thursday July 1, 2021. (Yui Mok/Pool Photo via AP)
