20th Anniversary of the Death of Diana, Princess of Wales: August 31, 2017

[Curryong]

As far as I'm concerned a statue is a lovely way to commemorate Diana's memory on this, the twentieth anniversary of her death. My one concern with statues is that birds love them and they are often splattered with bird poo! This is important to William and Harry otherwise they wouldn't be doing it, and part paying for it, with other individuals. I'm just as glad though that her two sons are continuing her memories by being patrons of her charities.

 

[TLLK]

As far as I'm concerned a statue is a lovely way to commemorate Diana's memory on this, the twentieth anniversary of her death. My one concern with statues is that birds love them and they are often splattered with bird poo! This is important to William and Harry otherwise they wouldn't be doing it, and part paying for it, with other individuals. I'm just as glad though that her two sons are continuing her memories by being patrons of her charities.

I share your concern about the birds Curryong and for some reason I could see Diana laughing about it as well.

Like you said it must be important to the brothers or else we wouldn't see one being commissioned.

 

[Daenerys Targaryen]

I like the idea of a statue and it also gives George and Charlotte a visual of their grandmother.

Me too. The fountain is a real disappointment.

 

[royal rob]

I share your concern about the birds Curryong and for some reason I could see Diana laughing about it as well.

Like you said it must be important to the brothers or else we wouldn't see one being commissioned.

I can't help but think all the work they have been doing with mental health has given them the courage to say what they want. Wasn't it Harry that said before he wasn't encouraged to talk about how he felt.


Sent from my iPhone using The Royals Community

 

[Dman]

Princess Diana memorial statue 'a long time coming' - BBC News

 

[Countessmeout]

Why is a statue a long time coming? Not every famous person gets one.

George and Charlotte don't need a visual of their grandmother. There are plenty of photos and portraits of her. Plenty of memories for dad to share. The same way other kids learn of dead grandparents.

I am honestly disappointed. I was happy they weren't wasting their money on a concert. That they were doing awards to help kids which was a real honor to her memory. A poop covered statue or a scholarship, which do you think is actually a memorial to Diana?

It's not like it's a building? I'd rather a building. Donate money to one of the hospitals she was involved in and put her name on it. Take George and Charlotte to visit the ward, and see the picture likely hung. Establish a school in Africa with her name on it. All better uses of money then a statue.

There is a reason statues aren't made much any more. Upkeep, weather damage, bird poop....many people see them as a waste of money.

Other then her son's Diana is fading. Newer generations don't know her.

 

[royal rob]

It's what her sons want so your opinion doesn't count.
After all they have been through if they want a statue good for them.


Sent from my iPhone using The Royals Community

 

[Dman]

Why is a statue a long time coming? Not every famous person gets one.

George and Charlotte font need a visual of their grandmother. There are plenty of photos and portraits of her. Plenty of memories fir dad to share. The same way other kids learn of dead grandparents.

I am honestly disappointed. I was happy they weren't wasting their money in a concert. That they were doing awards to help kids which was a real honor to her memory. A poop covered statue or a scholarship, which do you think is actually a memorial to Diana?

It's not like it's a building? I'd rather a building. Donate money to one of the hospitals she was involved in and put her name on it. Take George and Charlotte to visit the ward, and see the picture likely hung. Establish a school in Africa with her name on it. All better uses of money then a statue.

There us a reason statues aren't made much any more. Upkeep, weather damage, bird poop....many people see them as a waste of money.

Other then her son's Diana is fading. Newer generations don't know her.

Many people were thinking that a statue would've been a great honor for her many years ago.

A concert wouldn't have been a waste of money, when it's done to raise money for charity.

The statue is just part of celebrating her life this year.

I think it's very appropriate to introduce Diana to the new generation and keep her memory alive. The Diana Award is already doing this.

 

[PetticoatLane]

This is not just another rich person spending money. This is apparently being done to commemorate Diana's charity work. Wasting thousands of pounds, which could be used to do some more of the kind of charity work Diana is apparently being commemorated for, on a statue that'll help no one is just plain wrong.

She already has a massive fountain built in her honour at huge expense, at least one charity in her name and a huge pop concert was held in her honour - in Wembley Stadium no less! Are we to expect ever more grandiose memorials at the 25th anniversary, then the 30th, the 40th and the 50th?

I volunteer at least 2 days a week in a women's refuge. Everyone who does works full time as well. We've all been spending our own money to try and keep it going because the govt funding doesn't cover its expenses. What we couldn't do with the £50k-100k that'll be wasted on this piece of cold marble that'll spend most of its time covered in pigeon excrement.

If this makes me a preachy drama queen then I'll wear that badge with honour.

 

[miss whirley]

Why is a statue a long time coming? Not every famous person gets one.

George and Charlotte font need a visual of their grandmother. There are plenty of photos and portraits of her. Plenty of memories fir dad to share. The same way other kids learn of dead grandparents.

I am honestly disappointed. I was happy they weren't wasting their money in a concert. That they were doing awards to help kids which was a real honor to her memory. A poop covered statue or a scholarship, which do you think is actually a memorial to Diana?

It's not like it's a building? I'd rather a building. Donate money to one of the hospitals she was involved in and put her name on it. Take George and Charlotte to visit the ward, and see the picture likely hung. Establish a school in Africa with her name on it. All better uses of money then a statue.

There us a reason statues aren't made much any more. Upkeep, weather damage, bird poop....many people see them as a waste of money.

Other then her son's Diana is fading. Newer generations don't know her.

I hadn't realised I was being 'preachy' or throwing a 'hissy fit'. Thank goodness I have you to set me straight.

This is not just another rich person spending money. This is apparently being done to commemorate Diana's charity work. Wasting thousands of pounds, which could be used to do some more of the kind of charity work Diana is apparently being commemorated for, on a statue that'll help no one is just plain wrong.

She already has a massive fountain built in her honour at huge expense, at least one charity in her name and a huge pop concert was held in her honour - in Wembley Stadium no less! Are we to expect ever more grandiose memorials at the 25th anniversary, then the 30th, the 40th and the 50th?

I volunteer at least 2 days a week in a women's refuge. Everyone who does works full time as well. We've all been spending our own money to try and keep it going because the govt funding doesn't cover its expenses. What we couldn't do with the £50k-100k that'll be wasted on this piece of cold marble that'll spend most of its time covered in pigeon excrement.

If this makes me a preachy drama queen then I'll wear that badge with honour.

I agree with you both. Unfortunately, I think this has been in the works for awhile. I remember reading an article back in 2010 or 2011, that said William and Harry were planning a 100,000 statue of Diana to be built in the future.

I don't understand their logic. You would think after that silly bronze statue of Diana and Dodi was built in 2005 by Dodi's father, that they would see how frivolous this kind of tribute is. If they wanted something artistic to honor their mother, maybe do something with the ballet, like fund a production. Diana loved ballet. Seriously, almost anything would have been better than a vacuous statue.

 

[Dman]

I agree with you both. Unfortunately, I think this has been in the works for awhile. I remember reading an article back in 2010 or 2011, that said William and Harry were planning a 100,000 statue of Diana to be built in the future.

I don't understand their logic. You would think after that silly bronze statue of Diana and Dodi was built in 2005 by Dodi's father, that they would see how frivolous this kind of tribute is. If they wanted something artistic to honor their mother, maybe do something with the ballet, like fund a production. Diana loved ballet. Seriously, almost anything would have been better than a vacuous statue.

The difference is this statue will be at its rightful place, Diana's home, Kensington Palace. It will be overseen by and done with the blessing from Diana's family. It's just one of the ways William and Harry want to remember her.

Although, I would like to see charitable foundation set up in her name. Something along the lines of the Princess Grace Foundation. I think those kind of foundations do the most incredible things for people.

 

[Countessmeout]

Many people were thinking that a statue would've been a great honor for her many years ago.

A concert wouldn't have been a waste of money, when it's done to raise money for charity.

The statue is just part of celebrating her life this year.

I think it's very appropriate to introduce Diana to the new generation and keep her memory alive. The Diana Award is already doing this.

Other then her grandchildren, why is it important to introduce her to the next generation

Diana did great things. Yes. And the awards are good because they continue her legacy. Her legacy is meant to be about helping people not About being famous. A charity with her name could last generations without people knowing who she is. You see it with countless charities that people would have to look up who it wa named for.

She isn't some glorious role model and hero that we need to keep alive for another generation. There is a reason she has rightfully faded.

The concert isn't needed to raise money. Spend the millions it costs to throw a concert on the actual charity.

 

[Al_bina]

The statement says 'in the public gardens at KP', so I guess everyone can see it.

"Princes have convened a committee to commission and privately raise funds ..." means that nouveau riche can procure an access to royals. Is there a problem for the Princes in question to fund the statue themselves?

Parsimony of the British royals is legendary. Prince William and Prince Henry are not an exception in this respect.

 

[Osipi]

Private funds means that the cost is coming from William and Harry and other private funders. It could be Charles, the Queen, Camilla, Charles Spencer or Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck.

It is a way that the boys are privately honoring their mother. There are no exterior motives behind the gesture. They don't even have to put it where the public can view it. They could scrap the project and put the money into other things that would benefit her legacy. Oh wait, they're already doing that and continuing her legacy in various ways. They're supporting The Diana Award. Harry has Sentebale (means forget-me-not) which was started by Harry and Seeiso in memory of their mothers. William continues on with Centrepoint and those are just the ones that come to mind.

I just can't understand the need to downgrade a statue because of bird poop and suggest that the boys could do much better. All that really matters is that this is the way they choose to honor and remember their mother. Perhaps my ways of remembering my mother and my father are a bit "different" too but public opinion of it wouldn't make one little bit of difference to me and I'm sure its the same with William and Harry. I think if they could read some of the responses made to their announcement of a statue, they would regret announcing their plans publicly.

In the long run, it doesn't matter what we think of Diana or how high we hold her in our estimation or what we feel would be the best way to commemorate her memory. It matters to William and Harry and their families and how they wish to remember someone they deeply loved should be respected.

 

[royal rob]

Other then her grandchildren, why is it important to introduce her to the next generation



Diana did great things. Yes. And the awards are good because they continue her legacy. Her legacy is meant to be about helping people not About being famous. A charity with her name could last generations without people knowing who she is. You see it with countless charities that people would have to look up who it wa named for.



She isn't some glorious role model and hero that we need to keep alive for another generation. There is a reason she has rightfully faded.



The concert isn't needed to raise money. Spend the millions it costs to throw a concert on the actual charity.

This is being done by her sons it's nobody else's business
Good Lord people


Sent from my iPhone using The Royals Community

 

[Daenerys Targaryen]

I think it's nice that they are doing a statue. I was very unimpressed with the fountain design.

 

[Osipi]

To be absolutely honest, when I first saw photographs of Diana's "fountain" in Hyde Park, I thought it was a system of drainage ditches.

 

[Molly2101]

I have never seen the fountain in person but in photos it does look quite disappointing. I hope the statue is realistic and I see nothing wrong with this idea. Many famous people get statues and several deceased royal family members have statues so why shouldn't Diana? I am not a huge Diana fan but at the end of the day she was someone's mother so they can choose to commemorate her life in any way they wish.

 

[Rudolph]

I think it's the right thing to do. The only thing that gave me pause was there may have been pressure 'from above' not to go ahead with it.


I'm happy William and harry want to honour their mother in this way.

 

[Dman]

Princess Diana: Princes commission statue 20 years after her death - BBC News

 

[COUNTESS]

Such hypocrisy. When the royals gets gifts of diamonds and rubies, huge baubles that could build hospitals, schools, give help to the poor and aged, they wear them and lock them in a box and keep them. This is a privately funded statue by her sons and friends, it is none of your business. Tons of waste on what is garnered in costly gifts, don't seem to count.

 

[cepe]

Such hypocrisy. When the royals gets gifts of diamonds and rubies, huge baubles that could build hospitals, schools, give help to the poor and aged, they wear them and lock them in a box and keep them. This is a privately funded statue by her sons and friends, it is none of your business. Tons of waste on what is garnered in costly gifts, don't seem to count.

You are correct - royal get gifts worth thousands, in total poss millions of ££ in gifts. And they cant sell any of them to raise money for charitable causes.

They belong to the State.

What her sons choose to do is their business but in order to raise a statue in a royal park even they need permission. From the Government, not the Queen.

Frankly, a Diana Scholarship would IMO be of greater benefit but her sons want a tangible (see it, recognise her) monument. A fountain is a water feature, people don't see a scholarship so they have taken the obvious course. It is approved by HMQ and lets hope that at least half the population recognise it as Diana when unveiled.

 

[Osipi]

What I am wondering now is just how many people who have alternate ideas of what Will and Harry should do instead of a statue commemorating their mother would actually have the courage to say it to their faces. I would imagine 0% of them would or could.

 

[Mbruno]

George and Charlotte don't need a visual of their grandmother. There are plenty of photos and portraits of her. Plenty of memories for dad to share. The same way other kids learn of dead grandparents.

There were several people in the 20th century who can be seen in photos and film, but who nonetheless are now also represented in statues, for example FDR, Churchill, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, etc. etc. I don't see the two things as mutually exclusive.

 

[cepe]

When the news broke I wrote elsewhere that this decision would be divisive.
That was based on two parameters - whether it should be created and placed - and here we are "debating" that.

Secondly, whether it looks like Diana - time will tell!

She continues to create debate on many sides

 

[royal rob]

What I am wondering now is just how many people who have alternate ideas of what Will and Harry should do instead of a statue commemorating their mother would actually have the courage to say it to their faces. I would imagine 0% of them would or could.

So true. And tell all these same people how THEY should remember a loved one. Amazing that people actually think it's any of their business


Sent from my iPhone using The Royals Community

 

[PetticoatLane]

So true. And tell all these same people how THEY should remember a loved one. Amazing that people actually think it's any of their business


Sent from my iPhone using The Royals Community

Of course it's our business! William and Harry are going to have to cast around for the money, which will no doubt include giving face time to some less than desirable millionaires and billionaires. This leaves them open to all sorts of accusations, the kind that Charles regularly gets criticised for.

They're also going to put it in the gardens of KP which, last time I checked, is owned for all intents and purposes by the state. I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that if it's not public money that ends up maintaining this statue then it'll be up to Historic Royal Palaces to do so. HRP is a charity that receives no state subsidy. It would be a real outrage if they had to use their precious funds, intended to maintain and protect our nation's heritage, on this statue.

I do wonder, who's going to do the unveiling? The Queen? Or just William and Harry? Would other members of the family be required to attend? It would look bad if they didn't. Will Charles be there? Will Camilla? This is going to be incredibly awkward and lead to criticism for the RF one way or the other.

 

[royal rob]

Ha ha goodness thats digging deep. But once again it's nothing to with us i


Sent from my iPhone using The Royals Community

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

Of course it's our business! William and Harry are going to have to cast around for the money, which will no doubt include giving face time to some less than desirable millionaires and billionaires. This leaves them open to all sorts of accusations, the kind that Charles regularly gets criticised for.

They're also going to put it in the gardens of KP which, last time I checked, is owned for all intents and purposes by the state. I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that if it's not public money that ends up maintaining this statue then it'll be up to Historic Royal Palaces to do so. HRP is a charity that receives no state subsidy. It would be a real outrage if they had to use their precious funds, intended to maintain and protect our nation's heritage, on this statue.

I do wonder, who's going to do the unveiling? The Queen? Or just William and Harry? Would other members of the family be required to attend? It would look bad if they didn't. Will Charles be there? Will Camilla? This is going to be incredibly awkward and lead to criticism for the RF one way or the other.

Agree 100%!!! There would have been much more useful ways to honor Diana's 20th anniversary. As with the fountain, I predict lots of targets for critizism, maintenance/money being only one of them.
If they want to honour their mother, they are free to do it in private, a statue in a public place is only adding to all the controversies that are surrounding Diana (only need to see this thread how tempers are flying high) and that her family hated to much.
IMO Diana is dead now for 20 years and her position within the royal family at the time of her death does not ask for a public rememberance at all.
Let her rest in peace and her family remember her in private.

 

[HRHHermione]

She's an important part of royal family history, she lived at Kensington and her sons live there now- and it's just a statue.

Seriously, one statue.

It will not cost a fortune to either create or maintain and I bet it becomes a big highlight of visitor trips to Kensington.

Many of you are making this a way, way bigger deal than it should be.


Sent from my iPhone using The Royals Community mobile app