Diana, Princess of Wales: Statue Unveiling - July 1st 2021

[iceflower]

Here are some galleries of the Duke of Cambridge and the Duke of Sussex with Diana's sibblings at today's unveiling:



** gtresnews gallery ** rex gallery 1 ** rex gallery 2 ** pa images gallery **

 

[Denville]

That's the statue?

 

[Kataryn]

That's the statue?

I can only echoe your question in that unbelieving way...

 

[Curryong]

Thank you, iceflower for these first photos. I don’t know that I am that keen on the Diana statue at first glance, but the photos of the brothers and their aunts and uncle are very nice indeed. Everyone seems pleased.

 

[Denville]

I think it is pretty awful, I was afraid it woudl be as I dont think a Statue would suit Diana but it looks colourless, rigid, highly unattractive.

 

[TLLK]

I believe that this is an excellent depiction of Diana in her mid thirties and I'm not surprised that she's surrounded by children.

 

[Kataryn]

I think it is pretty awful, I was afraid it woudl be as I dont think a Statue would suit Diana but it looks colourless, rigid, highly unattractive.

More like a governess pushing the children to do something. Who's the girl? Or both, boy and girl? I hope they don't symbolize the "children of the world" as Diana was surely not as pushy as she appears here. You can say a lot against her but she always was caring, lovely and close to the children when we saw her with them.

 

[_Heather_]

Eesh...I really wanted to love the statue. I did. I so badly wanted my breath to be taken and to just absolutely love everything about it. But I don't. I don't even like it. The color is awful, it doesn't look like her, it doesn't convey the natural warmth and grace...it's just...odd. As for the children, I suppose it makes sense to have children in there given her work and her natural affinity with kids but it feels strange that it isn't just her. I hate that I'm very unimpressed but wow.

As for William and Harry...it was nice to see them walking and chatting and smiling together. It felt like old times for a bit there and that was a really nice change. I also think it was both kind and diplomatic for the official RF social media to share a photo and a statement from the boys. I expected it from KP but it was kind of HM to allow the RF accounts to post it also. And yes, I do believe that even though she isn't running the accounts personally nothing would go up without the social media manager being absolutely certain that she'd be okay with it.

 

[Denville]

Yes I think she looks like a rather rigid nanny....and wasn't it possible to do it with some colour?

 

[Denville]

Eesh...I really wanted to love the statue. I did. I so badly wanted my breath to be taken and to just absolutely love everything about it. But I don't. I don't even like it. The color is awful, it doesn't look like her, it doesn't convey the natural warmth and grace...it's just...odd. As for the children, I suppose it makes sense to have children in there given her work and her natural affinity with kids but it feels strange that it isn't just her. I hate that I'm very unimpressed but wow.

As for William and Harry...it was nice to see them walking and chatting and smiling together. It felt like old times for a bit there and that was a really nice change. I also think it was both kind and diplomatic for the official RF social media to share a photo and a statement from the boys. I expected it from KP but it was kind of HM to allow the RF accounts to post it also. And yes, I do believe that even though she isn't running the accounts personally nothing would go up without the social media manager being absolutely certain that she'd be okay with it.

I always thought a statue would not work, unless it was a classical one with marlbe.. but that would probably need to be kept indoors. Diana's beauty was in colour and in her grace of movement, not a lump of bronze or granite. But I couldnt beleive it when I saw it.

 

[valeas]

I had no expectation about the statue and like it the way it is.
It shows her lively which due to her young age was a good idea instead of the usual kind of statues one knows.
The sons had their say in the making so it should be allright for the rest of us.

 

[suztav]

I actually think it’s a pretty accurate representation of her image. Not too happy with the addition of two random kids.

 

[Claricecolin]

I actually like the statue. I wasn't expecting to. While a statue can never fully capture a person. I, personally, look at it and am reminded of Diana.

 

[Moran]

What on earth is this? Surely it can't be Diana? Only in her hairdo do I see some resemblance.

The same sculptor's Josephine Baker was amazing...

 

[_Heather_]

I always thought a statue would not work, unless it was a classical one with marlbe.. but that would probably need to be kept indoors. Diana's beauty was in colour and in her grace of movement, not a lump of bronze or granite. But I couldnt beleive it when I saw it.

I can understand that it wouldn't have been done in color, it's not a painting. However, I did think they would have used a much lighter in color material, maybe something like the marble statue of Queen Victoria. I really think the darkness of the material is a big part of why it doesn't feel warm and inviting but instead feels rigid and...removed, maybe?

 

[Blog Real]

Video:

Link to photos:
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=343500897420377&set=pcb.343501360753664

 

[An Ard Ri]

Here's a video from earlier on a beautiful day for the unveiling at Kensington Palace by the dukes.

 

[Rayal]

I think it is a very good sculpture, but maybe not 'great'. I do like it with the children in it because that is what I always think of first with Diana. The color is Ian Rank-Broadley's signature color and most of his work is of the same. It doesn't convey her beauty, her charm, and other attributes that we adored about her. However, that is always the way with most sculptures. You can't please everyone due to differences in taste. I was very pleased to see her sisters and brother there, as well as her two sons. It looked to be a pleasant occasion but possibly feelings of sorrow as well.

 

[Somebody]

Yes I think she looks like a rather rigid nanny....and wasn't it possible to do it with some colour?

That seems a rather accurate description... unfortunately.

Nonetheless, it was nice to see the brothers were able to set aside their differences (at least in public) for this occasion. Having this small unveiling with only her children and siblings (and designer and committee members - was Julia Samuel also part of the committee?) present seems much better than a large gathering of people who didn't know her that well.

One thing I was surprised about in terms of Covid: the kissing of their aunts and the handshake with their uncle. Is that allowed under the current regulations in the UK?

 

[MaryVirginia]

In the end, I think the statue captures Diana the way the boys would like to her to be remembered

 

[Heavs]

I get what they were going for but she looks less like a woman that adores children and was being humanitarian and more like a strict parent or nanny who's had it up to here with these two and is about to tell them off when they get home.

I think statues are a difficult medium to give an accurate representation of a person anyway.

I hope the boys like it though and it was lovely weather for the unveiling.

 

[LadyGlendower]

The nod to children gets the job done for me. It's not all that attractive but the statement it makes is sound and has the approval of her family.

William is looking every inch the future King these days.

 

[Stefan]

It's ok but i find it a bit strange with random children. Would have preferred on of her alone. Or they could have included Harry and William.

 

[Hallo girl]

That seems a rather accurate description... unfortunately.

Nonetheless, it was nice to see the brothers were able to set aside their differences (at least in public) for this occasion. Having this small unveiling with only her children and siblings (and designer and committee members - was Julia Samuel also part of the committee?) present seems much better than a large gathering of people who didn't know her that well.

One thing I was surprised about in terms of Covid: the kissing of their aunts and the handshake with their uncle. Is that allowed under the current regulations in the UK?

They might have all been tested before hand.
As for following the rules well just read the UK press with regards our leaders.

 

[Hallo girl]

I think just her would have made her seem isolated and alone. I agree facially it isnt great but it is bronze not a painting or a photograph. I think it is her though, I think he has caught her stance very well, just that slightly to the side way that she stood. The hair and clothes are her as Diana not the formal POW. As a statue I like it. How many statues really capture the face .

 

[Somebody]

They might have all been tested before hand.
As for following the rules well just read the UK press with regards our leaders.

I would hope the royal family is not trying to make the same mistakes as political leaders; stating 'well, I didn't adhere to the Covid-regulations because the politicians don't do it either' don't seem to be a good enough reason for me.

And testing surely helps but is not fool proof; you can still be contagious if you tested negative as symptoms take a few days to develop. However, my question was related to them potentially ignoring government regulations (and doing so in the public eye). Hopefully, someone can fill us in on the current UK regulations.

Something else that really stands out is the 'balding' of both sons especially on the picture that is probably most used around the world of both of them looking at the statue. Their uncle Charles isn't bald at all, is it coming from their maternal grandfather? Because while Charles doesn't have that much hair anymore, it isn't as pronounced as with his sons.

 

[Tirilschatz]

Compared to other statues of Diana which I saw recently in an article, it's an improvement.

But. It's kind of... irritating to me, together with those random children.
I somehow imagined the statue to be more... white/grey/marble kind of color.

 

[camelot23ca]

I don’t like the statue but wasn’t really expecting to. Statues of modern people often look a little silly to me - maybe they need a few generations to develop some gravitas.

The garden itself looks beautiful from what I could see, and it was a nice thought for the statue to be placed somewhere that Diana apparently loved. I hope William and Harry are happy with how it all turned out. At this point I think they may just be relieved the preparations and ceremony are finished. This is likely the last event that the brothers will participate in where the focus is on them as a pair; it was a nice way to hopefully mark the end of the “Diana’s boys” era, an ending which I think would have been overdue even if the brothers had continued to be close.

 

[TLLK]

Compared to other statues of Diana which I saw recently in an article, it's an improvement.

But. It's kind of... irritating to me, together with those random children.
I somehow imagined the statue to be more... white/grey/marble kind of color.

I would have loved to have seen a marble statue, but I don't believe that it would have held up outdoors with exposure to air pollution and weather.

 

[ACO]

Not a fan of the statue but it is very Diana. Her sons looked in awe and it was a nice sight to see. Glad they were able to have this moment together.