Diana’s statue

It looked much nicer on the video footage, I thought. I did laugh that it was by water though. I do hope no one chucks her in..

No, we weren’t impressed either. Nothing like Diana, looked like a frumpy old Nanny with random children. Such a shame.

DillytheGardener

Do you like Maggie Hambling deeda. She is one of the few artist I know of as ds always pointed out her dreadful sculpture of Oscar Wilde off Trafalgar sq. Her sculpture of Mary Wollstonecraft was also ghastly.

The Scallop on Aldeburgh beach is really beautiful though. It’s in memory of Benjamin Britten but is symbolic, not an attempted likeness. Something similar for Diana would have been much better than this rather stiff and unnatural statue.

I’m slightly relieved other people aren’t keen on it. Felt a bit guilty when I first saw it and didn’t think much to it.

I put this on the royal thread too but ..critique in the Times

I was very surprised that William and Harry had given their approval for this statue, it is hardly a flattering depiction of their mother.

Chestnut

I'm sorry, but my first thoughts were that it had white spots all over it and looked as though it was covered in bird poo.

It does look like that in the pictures I’ve seen. Let’s be polite and call it ‘weathered’.

Martin Jennings is a wonderful sculptor - John Betjeman at St Pancras is one of his works. He brings out the character and humanity of his subjects and would have been a good choice for the Diana statue.

I think it's a ghastly statue that neither looks at all like her nor gives any hint of her personality as we, the public, saw it. But if W & H like it and it gives them comfort, then that's good.

Some Amazon woman, doesn’t really capture her but I suppose it is a difficult medium to work with. A symbol would have been preferable.

Perhaps it looks better in person, but in pictures it reminds me of that Ronaldo bust. It looks weird and sort of lumpy and not really like Princess Diana at all, frankly.

But if her sons are happy with it, that's all that matters really.

Do you like Maggie Hambling deeda. She is one of the few artist I know of as ds always pointed out her dreadful sculpture of Oscar Wilde off Trafalgar sq. Her sculpture of Mary Wollstonecraft was also ghastly.

I'm sorry, but my first thoughts were that it had white spots all over it and looked as though it was covered in bird poo.

I think that if the hair was more choppy and less smooth there might have been a greater resemblance, and softened the rather masculine features that the statue portrays.

I think that first picture callistemon posted would have made a lovely statue. I wondered what opinion would be and I felt some of the same things that have been mentioned here when I saw it.
However, she was not my mother, I didn't know her and I'm sure her sons approved this having the benefit of both those things. If they like it and it makes them happy, it's all good.

I know its silly; I'm not a royalist at all, but I feel quite upset that the statue is so forgettable, when those pictures are so natural and warm.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202107/medium-260338-diana-princess-of-wales-meets-sandra-thijika-at-neves-news-photo-52101728-1567537925.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202107/medium-518599-telemmglpict000138354163-trans-nvbqzqnjv4bqnrzb8hrvgfj5seswmmbgzochfph-fyw0cnqpxwgmnfw.jpeg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202107/medium-78747-princess-diana.jpg

She was a natural with children and this statue doesn't do her justice

He has quarantined.

I wondered that Luckygirl. Harry can’t be in their bubble as he has only just flown in.

How is it that William and Harry were merrily kissing their aunts, and everyone was standing close to each other? Is that allowed?

I agree with a lot of you that it doesn't do Diana justice, making her look severe. She looks as though she is not engaging with the children but rather hustling them along. I wasn't particularly a Diana fan but I am disappointed with this representation.
On a trivial note, am I wrong in thinking that the two children on the right are barefoot??

I really think the age of statues is past. None of the recent ones has been very good. I would prefer something like Maggi Hambling's scallop shell at Aldeburgh or a really good painted portrait.

i personally dont like anything about it

Only just seen it thanks to notspahetti I think it’s awful she does look much more like Fiona Bruce and too severe she wasn’t that strong looking
The children …. The girl has an adult face…. is the boy meant to be African and what’s the point of a leg at the back
I would have thought in real life she would have been looking down at the children engaging with them not looking severely ahead and why ever not have the princes with her instead
I don’t like the style or the material used he hasn’t done her a service at all

Rosarie

What is the point of the third hidden child , in all of the photos I’ve seen you can only see the third child’s legs , you can’t tell if it a girl or a boy !

The third child is not hidden, it depends on the camera angle.