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Princess Diana statue ‘dreadful, frumpy’ say disappointed fans: ‘At least she’s not on bench’

The statue towered over Princes William and Harry, as they put their differences aside to reunite for the solemn event to honor their late mother

Princess Diana's life-size statue was unveiled in the Sunken Garden outside the entrance of Kensington Palace on Thursday, July 1, which marked the 60th birth anniversary of the late royal. While there were a few positive reactions to the statue, most royal fans were disappointed by the final reveal. 

It was a bronze statue made by Ian Rank-Broadley, which shows Diana with her arms around two children. The statue towered over Princes William and Harry, as they put their differences aside to reunite for the solemn event to honor their late mother. Kensington Palace said the princes "wanted the statue to recognize her positive impact in the UK and around the world, and help future generations understand the significance of her place in history. The statue aims to reflect the warmth, elegance, and energy of Diana, Princess of Wales, in addition to her work and the impact she had on so many people."

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The specific outfit worn by Diana in the statue reflected the "final period of her life as she gained confidence in her role as an ambassador for humanitarian causes," the palace said. It added that the statue "aims to convey her character and compassion." A plinth engraved with the Princess' name and the date of the unveiling has been placed beneath the statue. In front of it is a paving stone which is engraved with an extract from the poem 'The Measure of A Man' by Albert Schweitzer -- the same poem which was read at the 2017 memorial service marking Diana's 20th death anniversary. It read: "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?"

In a joint statement, the Duke of Cambridge and the Duke of Sussex said: "Every day, we wish she were still with us, and our hope is that this statue will be seen forever as a symbol of her life and her legacy. Today, on what would have been our Mother's 60th birthday, we remember her love, strength and character – qualities that made her a force for good around the world, changing countless lives for the better. Thank you to Ian Rank-Broadley, Pip Morrison and their teams for their outstanding work, to the friends and donors who helped make this happen, and to all those around the world who keep our mother's memory alive." They scrapped the idea of delivering separate speeches at the event. 

'At least the Diana statue is not seated on a bench'

A number of people took to social media to express how disappointed they were at Diana's statue as some of them thought that it did not resemble the likeness of the People's Princess. "It’s horrible. Not even Rank-Broadley’s best. And, tbf, he’s done some good works. #DianaStatue" one of them said, while another noted, "Just Dreadful. The Statue doesn't capture her essence, she looks frumpy (which she never did) and if you're going to put two children with her - how about HER CHILDREN!" A third commented, "Not a fan. It doesn't look like her and while I get they wanted to depict her humanitarian work, it doesn't translate well with those children. At least the Diana statue is not seated on a bench."

The next remarked, "Not too impressed by statue gotta be said. Doesn’t look like her very much. #DianaStatue." One more quipped, "#DianaStatue Sorry, I don’t like it and I’m pretty sure she would have not chosen that outfit, which will date this effigy so much." Another said, "As long as Diana's sons are happy, that is all that matters but I am disappointed in the statue." A commenter tweeted, "The statue doesn't look like her and the statement is cold and distant. Seriously. This is honouring her? Wow. Strangers honour her more. Poor Diana." A person reacted with, "Not a fan either, now M can use it as 'it's a statue of grandma Diana with Archie and Lili'..."

'The Statue totally encompasses Princess Diana'

There were, however, a few who thought the statue did justice to Princess Diana's personality. "So that’s that with the unveiling; - A gorgeous statue summing up how the world perceives her and her charitable work - A fitting joint statement from both her sons I’m so glad Diana has a statue now and one which looks almost like her! Happy 60th in heaven Diana!" one of them said, while another wrote, "The Statue totally encompasses Princess Diana; it's beautiful." One more noted, "So I think the statue is a good likeness, what does anyone else think #DianaStatue." One more quipped, "Awww, the #DianaStatue is actually really nice. Lovely way for Prince Harry and Prince William to mark #Diana60"