Prince William to Visit Princess Diana’s Statue with Family Ahead of Unveiling

Prince William is set to visit the statue of his late mother, Princess Diana, along with his wife, Kate, and their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, for a private moment before its official unveiling.

The Duke of Cambridge will have a private viewing of the memorial in Kensington Palace's Sunken Garden before joining his brother, Prince Harry, for the public event scheduled for Thursday.

The decision to have a private viewing with his family before the official unveiling was made to allow them to have a personal connection with the statue before it is revealed to the public.

A large box currently covers the plinth where the statue is believed to be positioned in preparation for the unveiling ceremony, which coincides with what would have been Princess Diana's 60th birthday.

Prince Harry, who is currently in quarantine at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor after flying in from California, is also expected to view the statue separately.

Due to the ongoing pandemic, plans for the unveiling ceremony have been significantly scaled back, with only a limited number of guests, including the two princes and Spencer relatives, in attendance.

Additionally, there will be just one pool reporter and broadcaster present at the event.

During the ceremony, both Prince William and Prince Harry are expected to deliver separate speeches honoring their mother's legacy.

They will also express gratitude to sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley for his work on the statue, a project that has been in progress since 2017.

Despite the anticipation surrounding the event, it remains uncertain whether the Duchess of Cambridge will accompany her husband to the unveiling.

There were hopes that Kate's presence could help bridge the gap between the estranged brothers, who have had limited contact since Prince Harry's move to the United States last year.

The royal siblings have privately assured friends that they are committed to setting aside their differences during the ceremony to ensure a meaningful tribute to their mother.

The journey to unveil the statue has not been without challenges, as initial plans to reveal it in 2017 were delayed due to design issues and disagreements over the representation of different phases of Diana's life.

These obstacles led to the formation of a committee following Diana's passing in 1997 to explore appropriate ways to honor her memory, ultimately deciding that a statue would be fitting.

The choice of the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace as the statue's location holds significance, as it was one of Princess Diana's favorite spots for contemplation during her time at the palace.

Sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley, renowned for his iconic depiction of Queen Elizabeth II featured on UK and Commonwealth coins since 1998, was selected to create the statue.