Princes William and Harry announce statue of Princess Diana to mark her 60th birthday

The statue will be installed in London's Kensington Palace

Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, have announced a Princess Diana statue to be installed at to mark her 60th birthday. EPA

Princes William and Harry have made a rare joint statement, announcing that a statue of their mother, Princess Diana, is to be installed at Kensington Palace to mark what would have been her 60th birthday.

The brothers, who are rumoured to be estranged, released the statement ahead of the anniversary of her death. Princess Diana died on August 31, 1997, in Paris, France.

The statue will be unveiled on July 1, 2021, which would have been her 60th birthday.

It will be created by Ian Rank-Broadley and placed in Kensington Palace's Sunken Garden next year. British sculptor Rank-Broadley is the artist whose portrait of Queen Elizabeth II is featured on all UK coins.

Two years ago, the royals announced the commission of the statue.

At the time they said: "It has been 20 years since our mother's death and the time is right to recognise her positive impact in the UK and around the world with a permanent statue.

"Our mother touched so many lives. We hope the statue will help all those who visit Kensington Palace to reflect on her life and her legacy."

Kensington Palace has said that further details of the design will be announced at a later date.

The statue will not be the first tribute to Princess Diana to be installed in London.

There is a memorial White Garden and Diana Memorial Playground at Kensington Palace, the Diana Memorial Fountain in Hyde Park, and the Diana Memorial Walk at St James's Palace.

Kensington Palace is the official London residence of the Duke of Cambridge and his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, and three children, Prince George, 7, Princess Charlotte, 5, and Prince Louis, 2.