Samir Hussein/Getty Images(LONDON) — Prince William and Prince Harry paid tribute to their late mother, Princess Diana, on the eve of the 20th anniversary of her death with a poignant visit to the Kensington Palace
memorial garden created in her honor.
William and Harry also made an impromptu visit to speak with well-wishers and view the tributes and cards left at the gates of Kensington Palace, where Princess Diana lived from 1981 until her
death.
“The Duke and Prince Harry are grateful for the many flowers, letters, and messages they have received about their mother,” Kensington Palace said. “They wanted to say thank you to those who made
the journey to Kensington Palace.”
The brothers, accompanied by Princess Kate, viewed the special space created in the palace’s sunken garden, which has been transformed with their mother’s favorite white blooms to commemorate her
life.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry arrive and make their way to The White Garden. pic.twitter.com/MtaJitNLtl
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) August 30, 2017
William and Kate, both 35, and Harry, 32, were joined by a small group of representatives from a few of the charities Diana supported in the final days of her life, including the Great Ormond
Street Hospital, the English National Ballet and the Leprosy Mission, Centrepoint.
Also in attendance were representatives from the Royal Marsden Hospital, where William now serves as royal patron, and the National Aids Trust, which Prince Harry has supported with his own AIDS
charity, Sentebale, that he set up in his mother’s name.
Those attending the event in the White Garden today include The Princess’s patronages at the time of her death. pic.twitter.com/gfj7adc5ts
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) August 30, 2017
With The Duchess, they will visit The Sunken Garden which has been transformed into a special White Garden dedicated to The Princess pic.twitter.com/AFt523XPV3
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) August 30, 2017
A team of six gardeners and a number of volunteers spent 18 weeks planting the floral tribute of white roses, white Diana tulips, white hyacinth, forget-me-nots and other favorites of Diana. The
“White Garden,” as it is known, opened in April.
More than 12,000 bulbs were planted over the winter to create what is now a breathtaking garden outside the home that William shares with his wife and their two children, Prince George and Princess
Charlotte, as well as the cottage where Harry lives.
William and Harry were just 15 and 12, respectively, when their mother died on Aug. 31, 1997, at age 36, due to injuries sustained in a car crash in Paris.
William, Harry, and Kate are now trying to keep Diana’s memory alive for her grandchildren, Prince George, 4, and Princess Charlotte, 2.
On July 3 — what would have been Diana’s 56th birthday — William and Harry held a service of re-dedication at Diana’s grave on the island in Round Lake at Althorp, the Spencer family home. George
and Charlotte also attended the service.
Describing how he keeps his mother’s memory alive, William said earlier this year that he speaks about “Granny Diana” to his children, adding: “So we’ve got more photos up around the house now of
her and we talk about her a bit and stuff.”
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