Prince Harry and Prince William release statement on Princess Diana statue to mark her 60th birthday
28 August 2020, 19:10
Prince Harry and Prince William have released a joint statement over the project to honour their late mother, Princess Diana.
A statue of Princess Diana will be erected next year, Prince Harry and Prince William have announced.
The Duke of Sussex and the Duke of Cambridge announced the news in a rare joint statement.
The statue was originally commissioned in 2017 to mark 20 years since Diana's tragic death, but was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.
Instead, the installation will be opened on July 1, 2021 in the Sunken Garden of Kensington Palace.
In the statement, Harry and William wrote: "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."
During the time of the first announcement back in 2017, a source said: "Prince William and Prince Harry have dreamed of doing this for a long time.
"They were both just boys when their mother passed away, but are both now fully grown men and want to honour her in the best way possible.
"It has taken 20 years for this to finally come to fruition so they are determined it will be a lasting and fitting legacy in what is their official London residence and a place special to them both."
At the time, Harry and William said they wanted to "recognise her positive impact" on the UK and around the world.
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