Statue

Princess Diana statue

Erection date: 1/7/2021

Inscription

{On the stone plinth:}
Diana, Princess of Wales

{On a paving stone in front of the statue:}
These are the units to measure the worth, of this woman as a woman regardless of birth. Not what was her station? But had she a heart? How did she play her God-given part?

This bronze, larger than life-size statue was unveiled by Princes William and Harry, on what would have been Diana's 60th birthday. It was a low-key event with no speeches or fanfare, the Covid pandemic being one reason.

Kensington Palace are quoted as saying that the statue is "based on the final period of her life in her role as an ambassador for humanitarian causes and aims to convey her character and compassion".  This justifies the presence of the children. The Palace are also quoted as saying "The statue aims to reflect the warmth, elegance and energy of Diana, Princess of Wales".  Mmm.

Our interest in the Princess while she was alive was slight, but no one could avoid the media onslaught and the endless flow of photographs. We all know what she looked like, and it wasn't like this.  Many members of the public are understandably disappointed that the statue fails to look like its subject.

Media commentators have been scathing.  In The Guardian Jonathan Jones refers to “aesthetic awfulness”, and “a spiritless and characterless hunk of nonsense”. He mentions that the face looks 'manly'.  We'd go further; to us the whole figure looks like a man in drag. We are at a loss to understand how the commissioners, including her two sons, could have approved this statue. 

The extract from the anonymous poem 'The Measure of a Man', was previously cited in the 2007 memorial service to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Diana's death.

This widely-disliked statue arrived just 8 months after the one "for" Mary Wollstonecraft. Something has gone badly wrong in the statue world.

Site: Princess Diana statue (1 memorial)

W8, Sunken Garden, Princess Diana Memorial Garden, Kensington Palace

The Sunken Garden was created in 1908 by Edward VII, in an area of the Palace gardens previously occupied by potting sheds and greenhouses. Its layout takes inspiration from the 17th century Dutch-style Pond Garden at Hampton Court Palace. When she lived at the Palance Princess Diana 'loved this garden' (to quote from plaques on many park benches), but the garden has been redesigned to provide an appropriate setting for the statue.

The garden and statue are free to view during normal hours. You cannot enter the garden, only see it from gaps in the surrounding hedge. To find it approach the Palace from the Round Pond, don't join the queue for the building but turn right in front of the café and then either walk up the steps or up the zig-zag slope. Yes, that's 'up' the steps or slope to the sunken garden. The royals really do live in a different reality.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Princess Diana statue

Subjects commemorated i

Diana Princess of Wales

Born Lady Diana Frances Spencer in Norfolk. Married the Prince of Wales at St...

Read More

This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
Princess Diana statue

Created by i

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex

Royal prince.  Born St Mary's Hospital Paddington, second son (the spare) of ...

Read More

Ian Rank-Broadley

Sculptor. Born in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey. Personally selected by both Princ...

Read More

William, Prince of Wales

Royal prince. Born St Mary's Hospital Paddington, first son (the heir) of Pri...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Horatio, Lord Nelson - Deptford Town Hall

Horatio, Lord Nelson - Deptford Town Hall

SE14, New Cross Road, Goldsmith's University of London

The 1905 building is by Lanchester, Stewart and Rickards. All the extensive decorative sculpture work is by Henry Poole and has a nautica...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Florence Nightingale - statue

Florence Nightingale - statue

SW1, Waterloo Place

In 1859 only the Guards Memorial was erected, closer to Pall Mall. In 1914 this was moved back to make room for the two statues in front.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Frieze of Parnassus - Dante

Frieze of Parnassus - Dante

SW7, Kensington Road

The monument, officially titled the Prince Consort National Memorial, celebrates Victorian achievement and Prince Albert's passions and i...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Frieze of Parnassus - Purcell

Frieze of Parnassus - Purcell

SW7, Kensington Road

The monument, officially titled the Prince Consort National Memorial, celebrates Victorian achievement and Prince Albert's passions and i...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Imperial Hotel - statue 14

Imperial Hotel - statue 14

WC1, Russell Square

On this site there used to be a sister hotel to Hotel Russell, also designed by Charles Fitzroy Doll and erected in 1898. It was demolish...

1 creator

Previously viewed

A. Spriggs

A. Spriggs

J. Lyons & Co. Ltd. staff member who died in WW2.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW2
1 memorial
Father Thomas Byles

Father Thomas Byles

Catholic priest. Born Roussel Davids Byles in Leeds. He was ordained in 1902, (which is when he took the name of Thomas), and in 1905 was assigned to St Helen's Parish in Chipping Ongar, Essex. He ...

Person, Religion

2 memorials
Issy Smith VC

Issy Smith VC

E1, Ropewalk Gardens

Installed in or before April 2017.

War served | WW1
2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Leon Lebor

Leon Lebor

United Kingdom citizen who died in the terrorist attacks in America on 11 September 2001. Leon Lebor was born on 11 July 1950. His birth was registered in Marylebone, London, his mother's maiden n...

Person, Tragedy, USA

1 memorial
Hungarian uprising

Hungarian uprising

SW7, Exhibition Road, 55

In memory of the victims of the Hungarian uprising of 1956.

1 subject commemorated