When her sons Prince William and Prince Harry pulled away the green tarpaulin that had concealed the statue from view, we were surprised at the inclusion of children on the plinth. At first, we thought the children were representations of William and Harry themselves until we realized that there are three children surrounding the statue of Diana—she has her arms around a boy and a girl, and there’s a third child behind them. It turns out that the children are meant to symbolize the “universality and generational impact” of Diana’s work, with particular regard to her connection with children. The Princess of Wales was known for her ability to bond with children on their level, and was patron of the Greater Ormond Street Children’s Hospital in London. In 1999 the Diana Award was founded in memory of “her belief that young people have the power to change the world.” The statement released by Kensington Palace also explained that Diana’s “style of dress” was inspired by the “final period of her life as she gained confidence in her role as an ambassador for humanitarian causes.” It’s been speculated that this specific belted outfit was based on the first Christmas card that Diana sent out after her separation fromPrince Charles. Until 1993, Diana and Charles sent out Christmas cards that featured photos of the couple with their children, but that year Diana sent out her own card that represented her new status as a single mother. Charles is absent from the photograph of Diana and her sons, with all three posing behind a sofa. Diana is looking down at William while Harry gazes up at her. The big belt buckle and pleated blouse that Diana wears in the snapshot are very similar to the outfit that sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley depicted her in. Yesterday’s unveiling ceremony in the Sunken Garden, which was one of Diana’s favorite places, was attended by her siblings Earl Spencer, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes; Ian Rank-Broadley; garden designer Pip Morrison; and Rubert Gavin, the Chair of Historic Royal Palaces. William and Harry appeared to have set aside their differences in order to honor their mother, but Harry only hung around for about 90 minutes before heading back to Frogmore Cottage on the Windsor estate. The next day Harry’s car was seen heading for London Heathrow, so it looks as though he’s already flown back to California to be with his wife Meghan Markle, their 2-year-old son Archie, and 1-month-old Lili. Before the unveiling ceremony, Harry made a surprise appearance at the WellChild Awards alongside Ed Sheeran. He revealed that having two children is “definitely a juggle” and opened up about Lili’s temperament, saying, “We’ve been lucky so far, she’s very chilled and seems happy to just sit there while Archie is running around like crazy.” Next up, Prince George Is Back—In a Suit and Tie, Cheering England On Alongside Duchess Kate and Prince William!
