All eyes on Princes Harry and William ahead of Princess Diana statue unveiling for her 60th birthday

A statue of Princess Diana will be unveiled in London on Thursday night to mark what would have been her 60th birthday. 

But all eyes will be on the sons who commissioned it, Princes William and Harry, as commentators wonder if the spirit of their mother will help to repair the brothers' strained relationship.

Princess Diana will be immortalised at the Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace, one of her favourite spots during the 15 tumultuous years she lived here.

The brothers jointly launched the idea for a commemorative statue in 2017, 20 years after they lost their mother. Diana was killed in a car crash in Paris in 1997, while being pursued by the paparazzi. 

"This statue, I think, can clearly be taken as a sign of her sons' twin commitment to their mother and what she stands for," says royal historian Robert Lacey.

The garden is where Harry and Meghan announced their engagement in 2017 - a much happier time for the couple, who have since stepped down as senior royals and relocated to the US in the pursuit of independence and financial freedom.

Meghan won't be at the unveiling, but Harry flew into London last week and isolated at Frogmore Cottage. With his quarantine finished, he attended a charity event in London's Kew Gardens, where he was spotted alongside musician Ed Sheeran. 

But the unveiling could be an awkward reunion for Harry and William, who were last seen talking after the funeral of their grandfather Prince Philip in April.

The brothers have reportedly struggled to rebuild their relationship in the fallout of Harry and Meghan's radical move to America, with multiple reports suggesting the pair are estranged.

It's understood the statue unveiling will be a small, intimate event with around a dozen invited attendees. 

"As we understand it, Prince Charles will not be there - no other members of the Royal Family, I think, because we've been told now that Kate won't be there," says Lacey.

The statue has been sculpted by renowned British artist Ian Rank-Broadley, whose work includes the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, as well as the royal mint design on most British coins. 

The garden surrounding Diana's statue has also been overhauled to include her favourite flowers: white lilies, tulips, daisies and forget-me-nots.

The question now is: can everything come up roses again for her sons?