Who joined William and Harry at the Diana statue unveiling?

The guest list was tight as the Duke of Cambridge and Duke of Sussex revealed their long-awaited statue of Diana, Princess of Wales.

Kensington Palace billed it as a “small event and a very personal moment for the family”.

Here is the list of the 14 people who joined William and Harry for the brief ceremony:

1. Earl Spencer

Diana’s younger brother Charles – uncle to William and Harry – has defended the memory and legacy of his sister since her death in a Paris car crash 24 years ago.

He spoke out about false bank statements shown to him by journalist Martin Bashir ahead of Diana’s Panorama interview and has been a key critic of Bashir and the BBC’s conduct amid the damning inquiry into the programme.

At the princess’ funeral, the earl gave a controversial eulogy which was seen as an attack on the royal family.

He vowed to Diana in his speech that her “blood family” would do all they could to protect William and Harry “so that their souls are not simply immersed by duty and tradition but can sing openly as you planned”.

2. Lady Sarah McCorquodale

Diana’s formidable older sister Lady Sarah was a member of the six-person statue committee, tasked with commissioning the monument and privately raising funds.

She briefly dated the Prince of Wales in the 1970s, and is said to have introduced Diana to Charles.

Lady Sarah, who is the former High Sheriff of Lincolnshire, has remained close to her royal nephews, and attended the christening of Harry’s son Archie in 2019.

3. Lady Jane Fellowes

Diana’s other sister Lady Jane was also at Archie’s christening and gave the only reading at Harry and Meghan’s wedding.

She is married to the Queen’s former private secretary Lord Robert Fellowes.

It was suggested that Lord Fellowes became hostile to Diana after her divorce because of his position, but he told the inquest into her death that he was always fond of her.

4. Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton

The former SAS Major served as William and Harry’s top aide, their principal private secretary, for eight years, and was chair of the statue committee.

Quiet, calm and discreet, he was held in such high regard by William and the Duchess of Cambridge that his son Billy was a pageboy at their wedding, and Mr Lowther-Pinkerton was later asked to be a godfather to Prince George.

He was also equerry to William and Harry’s great grandmother, the Queen Mother, in the 1980s.

5. Julia Samuel

Also a godparent of Prince George, the psychotherapist, who founded the Child Bereavement UK charity, was one of Diana’s best friends.

She has remained close to both William and Harry and was also part of the statue committee.

The Duchess of Sussex is said to have turned to Mrs Samuel when Meghan struggled with her mental health during pregnancy.

6. John Barnes

John Barnes is the Historic Royal Palaces’ (HRP) chief executive, taking on the role in 2017. He was also a statue committee member.

He was previously in charge of conservation, presentation and learning provision at HRP’s six palaces.

7. Gerry Farrell

Gallery owner Gerry Farrell was selected for the statue committee for his artistic direction.

He is director of the Sladmore Contemporary gallery, which specialises in sculpture, and has written on its website: “My personal obsession is with sculpture and objects, the power of ‘making’ and the joy found in a sense of the artist’s hand.”

8. Guy Monson

Guy Monson, also on the committee, is a city financier and a trustee of the Invictus Games Foundation, founded by Harry. He was on the organising committee for its inaugural games in 2014.

In 2018, he was appointed treasurer to the Cambridges and the Sussexes, before Harry and Meghan stepped away from the Royal Foundation and later quit as senior working royals.

9. Sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley

Rank-Broadley is the renowned artist who created the permanent memorial to Diana.

His effigy of the Queen appears on all UK and Commonwealth coins.

His bronze work depicting the harrowing realities of war is the focal point of the Armed Forces Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum, Staffordshire.

10. Garden designer Pip Morrison

Pip Morrison redesigned Kensington Palace’s Sunken Garden – home to the new statue.

It now features “a simplified layout of deeper flower borders and a more generous lawn around the pool to create a calmer and more reflective setting for the statue”.

11. Rupert Gavin

The chair of Historic Royal Palaces is a theatre impresario who was dubbed “Mr West End”.

A former chief executive of BBC Worldwide and Odeon & UCI cinemas, Mr Gavin is known for producing a long series of successful plays and musicals over the past 30 years.

His productions have won 17 Olivier awards and five Tony awards.

12. Gardener Graham Dillamore

Mr Dillamore is deputy head of gardens and estates at Historic Royal Palaces and led the team of five gardeners who spent a total of 1,000 hours working on the planting of 4,000 flowers.

He worked on the Kensington Palace grounds when Diana lived there.

13. Gardener Gary James

Mr James is head gardener at Kensington Palace for HRP.

14. Hazel Rank-Broadley

Mrs Rank-Broadley, an unannounced guest, also joined her sculptor husband at the event.