1981. It was a glittering wedding watched by millions on television. Prince Charles, heir to the British throne was marrying Diana Spencer, known ever since as Princess Diana. Their marriage was sometimes turbulent, but it did produce two superb sons, William and Harry. In 1997, when Diana was killed in a tragic car accident in Paris, the world grieved along with the two boys.
“William and I can separate life into two parts,” Prince Harry said a decade ago, on the 10th anniversary of his mother’s death, “there were those years when we were blessed with the physical presence beside us of both our mother and father, and then there are the ten years since our mother’s death.”
20 years after losing their mother, Princess Diana’s two boys, now grown men, still feel that heartbreaking dichotomy in their lives. To commemorate their loss, which is still felt by millions all around the world, William (now the Duke of Cambridge) and Prince Harry have announced that a statue will be erected in her honor on the grounds of Kensington Palace. The palace, located near Hyde Park in London, had been Princess Diana’s official residence from her marriage in 1981 until her tragic death in 1997.
In a press release from Kensington Palace, William and Harry announced, “It has been twenty years since our mother’s death and the time is right to recognize her positive impact in the UK and around the world with a permanent statue. Our mother touched so many lives. We hope the statue will help all those who visit Kensington Palace to reflect on her life and her legacy.” The video we’ve posted below lets you hear Diana’s sons speak movingly about their mother and their memories of her.
Were you heartbroken when you heard that Diana had died so tragically? Are you impressed by her sons’ poise? Let us know in the comments at Facebook. Also, be sure to like and share. Your friends may have memories they want to talk about, too.
