Summer In Balmoral

William at Balmoral 1983

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and children have been spending some of their summer holiday at Balmoral. 

 The Queen's beloved Scottish highland retreat is where the royal family gather each year. The Duke and Duchess attended a church service at Crathie Kirk with other members of the family last Sunday.

William, Catherine and Prince Harry will be back at Kensington Palace in time for a special visit to the Palace's Sunken Garden. The garden has been transformed this year in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales. The 20th anniversary of Diana's death falls on 31st August.

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William and Harry had organised for the princess's favourite flowers to be planted in white with pink accents. The warm spring meant the flowers bloomed early. I visited the Palace and garden only a few weeks ago and it was still stunning.

Diana used to walk through the garden during her many years living at Kensington Palace and came to know the gardeners. Some of these staff members will be present on the 30th when Diana's sons and daughter-in-law Catherine will visit. 

I also visited the Diana Her Fashion Story exhibition at the palace and will write a separate post about this wonderfully exciting event for Diana fans.

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Remembering Diana

On 24th February 1981, Buckingham Palace announced the engagement of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer. 

Now, 36 years on, the late Princess of Wales will be publicly remembered in a number of ways by her sons Princes William and Harry. 

 
















 Diana: Her Fashion Story 

An exhibition will be opened at Kensington Palace on the 24th February to celebrate Diana's influence on fashion- from the days of her engagement to the end of her life in 1997.

From the Historic Royal Palaces (HRP) website: 

Celebrate the life of Diana, Princess of Wales, in this major new dress exhibition at Kensington Palace.

Trace the evolution of the Princess’s style, from the demure, romantic outfits of her first public appearances, to the glamour, elegance and confidence of her later life. Don’t miss an extraordinary collection of garments, including the iconic velvet gown, famously worn at the White House when the Princess danced with John Travolta.

White Garden

The Princes have been important in supporting the creation of the White Garden at Kensington Palace. The sunken garden was often visited by the Princess during her life. 

Again from the HRP website:

In Spring and Summer 2017, the historic Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace will be temporarily transformed into a White Garden.

 Spring planting will include an elegant palette of tulips and scented narcisii through a carpet of 'forget me nots'. In the summer, pots of classic English white roses will surround the reflective pool in the centre of the garden and the planting will become more exuberant, with glowing ornamental grasses weaving through Cosmos daisies and billows of graceful Gaura.

Statue

Diana's sons are convening a committee to commission and raise funds for a statue of the Princess. A sculptor and design for the statue will be announced soon. It will be placed in the public gardens of Kensington Palace.

It is hoped the statue will be unveiled by the end of 2017

Diana, William & Harry in Kensington Palace