Statue of Princess Diana to be erected 20 years after her death

A statue of Princess Diana will be erected at the grounds of Kensington Palace two decades after her death, after it was commissioned by the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry.

Her sons said the monument would “recognise her positive impact in the UK and around the world”.

“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,” they said in a statement.

Princess Diana died in a car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997, when William was 15 and Harry aged 12.

A fountain in Hyde Park has long served as the core memorial to her.

A sculptor for the statue has not yet been chosen, with a selection committee believed to be made up of Diana’s sister, Lady Sarah McCorquodale; her close friend Julia Samuel; and former principal private secretary Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton.