AIBU - Princess Diana new statue

[ForeverAintEnough3]

She was a style icon yet she’s in one of those frumpy waist belts that were only in fashion briefly. The face does nothing to represent how beautiful she was. It’s too harsh.

@Lemonmelonsun

I have actually wonder if the little girl isn't Diana herself..

Who are the others then?

@Lemonmelonsun

One would think a few sculptors should be given some ideas and pick the best of five. Put the rejects elsewhere, High Grove, her family home Althorpe, etc... Maybe even Angola.

But have some competition and choice and not be landed with one awful lumpen mess.
One would have expected this of stout princess Anne..

Stout? Princess Anne is very slender.

@Lemonmelonsun

Out with the out,... Indeed!

It's a tough one when the lady was so so dynamic and beautiful.
She loved dancing, so why not perhaps in dancing mode holding children's hands or twirling a child...

The disparity of her dress and the barefoot child!!

The children look like they’re extras from ‘Oliver’, awful statue such a wasted opportunity. Diana deserves so much more than this.

Sculpture makes her look like a man in drag and why the random group of kids? Would have preferred something like this...

Not the best likeness, i cannot understand why it isnt her 2 boys standing with her though

Is that really meant to be her sons with her?

I thought it was a black boy and a white girl actually, and was wondering who they were and why so special to her that she'd be shown with them and not her own children

Oh ok I've just seen it is meant to be random kids. Saw a comment somewhere on MN saying W&H's likenesses were terrible...

Using themselves as children would be really mawkish and self aggrandizing. Yes, let's put up a statue to little privileged children.

And what if one of them turns out like Andrew? Statues to living people are rarely a good idea.

With this statue, I cannot help but feel that in some way Diana has been stitched up like a kipper by the establishment. I just can't fathom how it happened, though. Harry and William were involved throughout in the process of creation. The Duchess of Cambridge studied Art History. William was heading in that direction as well before he switched to Geography. There would be some artistic knowledge and interest behind decisions made.

I feel uneasy about the anonymous children that have been used as props to show Diana's compassion.

I would personally like to have seen Diana standing alone, suggesting, in her stance and expression, the spirit and joie de vivre people remember her for. I see no reason to strip her of her physical beauty either.

Instead of the clumsily altered verse selected, the words I would choose for Diana would be those of Atticus:

Her courage was her crown, and she wore it like a Queen.

In Scotland they would know what to do:

@OutwiththeOutCrowd
*"Her courage was her crown, and she wore it like a Queen"
*
How apt.

Great statement @0utwiththeoutcrowd!

I think she would have worn the cone better.

I don’t agree with the Diana statue being a stitch up by the establishment.

It is said that both Harry and William were involved so I’m not quite sure why the Cambridges having an arty background is relevant.

Nothing about the DodC having an input was mentioned.

If anything the fact that it isn’t quite what everyone thought it might be suggests that the younger brother might have held more sway in the decision making.

He was the only one grinning away on the day.

Sheldon, I do agree that Harry might have had more say.

My thinking was that William would have talked it over with his wife, even if she wasn't officially involved, and that they both might have been assumed to have some sort of sense of what is aesthetically pleasing, given a background interest in Art.

A cone on the head would certainly have added to the medieval princess with a modern touch vibe!

He was the only one grinning away on the day What a spiteful comment. You were there, were you?

Not spiteful.

He was grinning away.

I saw the pictures.

What was wrong about that? He’d just unveiled a statue to his mam and was delighted with it clearly - hence the grin.

The only thing spiteful is you reading something into my comment that wasn’t there.

Sorry, it just looked like a link to the posters upthread all blaming Harry for the awfulness of the statue.

No worries.

@LuluJakey1

Does it matter whether it looks like her or not? She has been dead for almost 25 years and will be forgotten about sooner or later. It is tucked away in a garden. A few tourists may visit it but it is hardly a national monument. I am not sure if the public even wanted a statue in the first place.

Gosh. I am guessing you weren't perhaps around or very old when she died? I have 2 JFK moments in my life - the death of Diana and 9/11. They are moments where you will always know where you were and what you were doing. The shock. Surreal moments. When Diana died - the hush across the nation for nearly a week.

She was very important for her human touch and changing how the Royal family deal with the general public and media was a big part of her legacy.

So yes it matters. That statue is rubbish. It is. The supposed symbolism is crap, her likeness is just not there. What a missed opportunity.

The Duchess of Cambridge studied Art History. William was heading in that direction as well before he switched to Geography.
Isnt art history basically an excuse for posh girls to sit around looking for a rich husband?

At DSs school they had a teacher come in to explain a level choices and potential degrees - and he got to Art history...

Student - what job can I get with a degree in art history?
DS - Queen?

@OutwiththeOutCrowd

With this statue, I cannot help but feel that in some way Diana has been stitched up like a kipper by the establishment. I just can't fathom how it happened, though. Harry and William were involved throughout in the process of creation. The Duchess of Cambridge studied Art History. William was heading in that direction as well before he switched to Geography. There would be some artistic knowledge and interest behind decisions made.

I feel uneasy about the anonymous children that have been used as props to show Diana's compassion.

I would personally like to have seen Diana standing alone, suggesting, in her stance and expression, the spirit and joie de vivre people remember her for. I see no reason to strip her of her physical beauty either.

Instead of the clumsily altered verse selected, the words I would choose for Diana would be those of Atticus:

Her courage was her crown, and she wore it like a Queen.

After seeing The Queens statue, I agree with you about it being a stitch up by the establishment. They are still trying to silence her to protect themselves, and now they have only allowed that shit statue to be commissioned. The Queen one is beautiful and really shows her loves. They would never have allowed the verse you quoted to be used. William and Kate are part of the establishment and the biggest beneficiaries of the Monarchy. Of course they arent going to do too much to piss them off.

@Angrycat2768

The Duchess of Cambridge studied Art History. William was heading in that direction as well before he switched to Geography. Isnt art history basically an excuse for posh girls to sit around looking for a rich husband?

It's a highly academic subject, very difficult indeed, and quite competitive. If you get a good degree in Art History, you've done well.

MuckyPlucky
Is it Pierce Brosnan?

Verticalhirizon
No, I believe it's chiselled stone

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