The new Princess Diana statue was revealed just hours ago, but royal fans are already finding photos that may have inspired the memorial.
Today, Prince William and Prince Harry unveiled the statue of their late mother in a moving ceremony at Kensington Palace. In the hours since, the statue has been trending online — and fans think they've found one picture that strongly resembles it.
Fans find photo that inspired Princess Diana statue?
The picture is a 1993 portrait of Princess Diana with young William and Harry. It was featured on their Christmas card that year, and it shows the Princess of Wales wearing a near-identical outfit to the one seen on the statue.
The photo and statue share the same half-buttoned blouse, prominent belt buckle, and skirt. However, fans did point out that Diana's hairdo in the 1993 photo (which you can click here to enlarge) is outdated compared to the statue, which features a later style.
And it's of course not a recreation of any single photo. The artwork likely took inspiration from several sources, but it certainly captures the spirit of Diana's love for her own children and people from all walks of life.
More unearthed photos also show Princess Diana in a pose closely resembling the statue, with her arms resting on Prince William's and Prince Harry's shoulders.
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The sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley said today that the statue represents a "more confident" Princess Diana in later life, and it is meant to capture her "warmth, elegance, and energy."
Online, the statue has actually been met with a mixed reception. The unveiling was a success and fans were thrilled to see William and Harry reunited, but some were unsatisfied with the bronze statue's style and its questionable resemblance to Diana.
Others, still, are calling the statue a beautiful and stunning tribute on what would've been Princess Diana's 60th birthday. You can get a recap of the moving ceremony here.
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