Diana’s statue

Here is a full view. I was very disappointed in this statue and why have two of the children with no shoes on and the one behind can only be seen at this angle. Diana would have looked much better dressed regally, as a Princess.

Rosina

The clothes rather spoil the effect; in the original photo of Diana, taken with her sons, she looked smart in the outfit and the colours suit her, but this has not seemingly translated well in metal. The belt buckle looks too big, and cheap, and the blouse has one button too many undone. That said, if her sons are happy with it, that is all that matters.

I agree totally, Rosina. The outfit looked fine on the Christmas card, which I’d never seen before, but did not translate well to metal. The blouse makes her shoulders and arms look hefty which she never was. It would have been better to choose one of her better known images, such as the glorious pink Versace suit which had short sleeves. She had beautiful long slender but toned arms which would have looked good on a statue. It is possible to make statues beautiful - look at any by Canova, but then he did use white marble.

Family members were involved in the design so surely the final statue will have been approved. On seeing it on the news I did feel it looked rather chunky. However that was a very close up camera view. Looking at the photo posted above I now think it is a fair representation. As long as Diana's sons are content to see how it turned out that's all that matters.

This subject is trending on Twitter, Facebook and here and I am stunned by the sheer nastiness of the majority of comments I've read. Yes, people are entitled to their opinion but I think this is definitely one of the times those opinions should not be shared; Diana's family are happy with the statue and I think a bit of kindness, respect and empathy are required and not unasked for comments

I wish she hadn't died. She would have adored being a Nana.

I was never a Diana fan. However I quite like the sentiment of the statue, with the children, but I don't think it does her justice. She wasn't beautiful, but she had a certain elegance that the statue doesn't convey.

I do not like the statue one little bit. Makes Diana look matronly and dowdy. I am glad it is located somewhere where I’m never likely to come across it. It does not do the beautiful woman justice sadly.

Oh, and the children are supposed to be random !

I thought that perhaps it was supposed to be her at 60 !

The clothes rather spoil the effect; in the original photo of Diana, taken with her sons, she looked smart in the outfit and the colours suit her, but this has not seemingly translated well in metal. The belt buckle looks too big, and cheap, and the blouse has one button too many undone. That said, if her sons are happy with it, that is all that matters.

Of all her memorable outfits I can’t say I’ve ever seen her in the blouse belt and skirt of the statue!

Its probably me, but did anyone else think William and Harry were a bit too smiley and jolly and chatty? Hopefully its because they'd just made up and it was relief, but the cynic in me did wonder if the publicity people had told them to look friendly and happy.

I was expecting her wearing a visor and looking like she looked when she walked through the mine field.

MayBee70

Lulubelle500

I think the sculptor did a pretty good job. The statue will be there long after everyone who was there at the unveiling is long gone. Kensington Gardens has always been one of my favourite places, I remember taking my toddler sons to see the Peter Pan statue while I was reading them the book, and the Diana statue had to 'fit in' with that and the others there. Diana was always called beautiful but to my mind she was more strong looking than pretty and Ian Rank-Broadley showed that part of her personality. I think.

I agree. Diana wasn’t beautiful and she wasn’t a delicate little thing either. But the addition of the children epitomised her warmth and kindness which is why I like the statue. What I would have liked to have seen, though, was a statue of her walking through that minefield because that’s when she, to me, transcended her royal status. It was iconic.

Agreed - and she usually wore trousers to her most iconic and useful engagements. But the minefield appearance was politically controversial at the time, and may have led to controversy over the statue itself had they used that image.

There are actually three children but the third is hidden behind the girl.
I’m in two minds about the statue. I was expecting something glamorous but as others have said she looks like a teacher.
Not keen on the grey colour either. Oh hum.

I don’t like statues anyway. Creepy.

Not a fan of Diana. Her children arranged it, it’s a lot of fuss for them. She wasn’t a good role model in my opinion.

It’s a statue not a waxwork. Impossible to get an exact likeness. Assume the children represent her caring about all the children of the world. It’s good that the funds were found for a lasting tribute.

nope - don't like it all - and she wasn't slim hipped like that - she was femininly curvy and i don't like three children ! and it does look more like Fiona Bruce.

Nice to see William and Harry together and 'smiling '
My own opinion of the statue and one who was priviledged to have lived during the Princesses life feel the statue does not do her justice.Taken so young she deserves to be remembered at the age she was taken. This statue fails to do this and shows a mature Diana.

It is so much better than that fountain thingy - and it might grow on me

Hi there ,
It's not with her boys ..they represent children round the world

Yes it is just three random children, not William and Harry.

I put the video on my Facebook wall and I asked "Who is this woman?" because the statue looks nothing like Princess Diana.

Lulubelle500

I think the sculptor did a pretty good job. The statue will be there long after everyone who was there at the unveiling is long gone. Kensington Gardens has always been one of my favourite places, I remember taking my toddler sons to see the Peter Pan statue while I was reading them the book, and the Diana statue had to 'fit in' with that and the others there. Diana was always called beautiful but to my mind she was more strong looking than pretty and Ian Rank-Broadley showed that part of her personality. I think.

I agree. Diana wasn’t beautiful and she wasn’t a delicate little thing either. But the addition of the children epitomised her warmth and kindness which is why I like the statue. What I would have liked to have seen, though, was a statue of her walking through that minefield because that’s when she, to me, transcended her royal status. It was iconic.