Will Diana statue heal bitter rift between Harry and William?
A STATUE of Princess Diana to be unveiled on her birthday next year could help to heal the deep rift between her sons. Princes William and Harry have both been working with courtiers to help fine-tune the long-awaited project. And in a major move towards reconciliation, Harry and wife Meghan signalled they would be delighted […]
A STATUE of Princess Diana to be unveiled on her birthday next year could help to heal the deep rift between her sons.
Princes William and Harry have both been working with courtiers to help fine-tune the long-awaited project.
And in a major move towards reconciliation, Harry and wife Meghan signalled they would be delighted to attend the unveiling.
The brothers have been estranged since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex quit as senior royals earlier this year.
Diana’s statue, commissioned by William in 2017, will be created by favoured royal sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley.
Its unveiling in the Sunken Garden of Kensington Palace on July 1 next year will be on what would have been Diana’s 60th birthday.
A royal source said: “The sculpture remains close to both brothers’ hearts.
“Despite what had gone on over the past year the princes are still very keen on making sure the sculpture happens in time for what would have been Diana’s 60th birthday.
“There is hope that through this project there can be some much-needed reconciliation. Harry, Meghan and Archie want to come to the unveiling but who knows what the position will be this time next year.”
The Sun revealed earlier this month that William, 38 and Harry, 35, barely speak.
Sources also confirmed that Kate, 38, and Meghan, 39, have cut contact entirely since the Sussexes relocated to LA with son Archie.
William and Harry were 15 and 12 when mum Diana died in a Paris car crash in 1997.
Kensington Palace issued a joint statement yesterday.
It read: “The Princes hope that the statue will help all those who visit Kensington Palace to reflect on their mother’s life and her legacy.”
But royal experts said they doubted the statue would bring the brothers closer.
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Penny Junor said: “I would like to think this will help but there is a lot of time and bridge-building needed to heal this sizeable rift.
“It’s true they went into the venture together some time ago and they are still brothers so I would like to think they would want to work together to honour their mother.
“But if she were alive today she would be very distressed to see what has happened to their relationship.”
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