Princes William and Harry have announced the sculptor who is to create a statue of their late mother Princess Diana. The royal brothers have chosen renowned artist Ian Rank-Broadley for the piece, known for his portrait of the Queen on British coins. The artwork is expected to be unveiled in 2019 within the grounds of Kensington Palace to mark the 20 year anniversary of Diana's tragic death.
The late Princess Diana
In a joint statement, the royals said: "We have been touched by the kind words and memories so many people have shared about our mother over these past few months. It is clear the significance of her work is still felt by many in the UK and across the world, even 20 years after her death." They added: "Ian is an extremely gifted sculptor and we know that he will create a fitting and lasting tribute to our mother. We look forward to unveiling the statue, which will allow all those who visit Kensington Palace to remember and celebrate her life and legacy."
Princes William and Harry have commissioned the statue to remember their mother Princess Diana
The princes revealed news of the statue's commission in January this year. As well as Ian Rank-Broadley's image of the Queen on UK coins since 1998, the artist has recently shown bronze work at the Armed Forces Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum, Staffordshire.
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In an exclusive interview with HELLO! in May 2016, Prince Harry said he and his brother were determined to create a "permanent memorial" to their mother. He said: "We want to make sure that there's something that she's remembered by and there's certainly not enough on the right scale in London or anywhere in the UK that she's remembered for. And I think myself, William and a few other people, we all agree on that."
He added: "Something needs to be put in stone or in place as a memory. Lots of people still talk about her. Every single day we still think about her, so it would be very fitting on the 20th anniversary to have something that is going to last forever and is actually a proper recognition of what she did when she was alive."