ANALYSIS | William and Harry work together again

London (CNN) – Seeing princes William and Harry in the same space is quite unusual these days, let alone an event they organized together. But that’s where we find ourselves this Thursday, at the inauguration of the statue of Diana, Princess of Wales. Both were intimately involved in the design of the long-awaited work of art and in the redesign of the Sunken Garden that surrounds it.

According to him Kensington PalaceThis was one of Diana’s “favorite places” and it is where the young princes played in their childhood. The shock and nostalgia of the moment did not go unnoticed by anyone.

For the first time since Harry left Kensington Palace to make his own home with Meghan, the brothers released a joint statement: “Today, on what would have been our mother’s 60th birthday, we remember her love, strength and character. , qualities that made her a force for good throughout the world, changing countless lives for the better.

“Every day we wish he was with us, and our hope is that this statue will forever be seen as a symbol of his life and his legacy.”

Commemorating and remembering their mother and her impact on society is an incredibly important mission for the siblings. They knew that everyone was going to see how they interacted and set the tone for the event by engaging in conversation and with broad smiles. They seemed to be calm, warmly greeting their aunts, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes, before laughing and joking with the family and guests at the small ceremony.

In moments, it almost felt like it used to be: brothers shoulder to shoulder, firmly focused on a single goal. Harry seemed a bit more relaxed than his brother, making some jokes and gestures to the guests and engaging in some light chatter.

But that was also like old times… Harry the joker, facing William’s more reserved position as king-in-waiting.

The artwork was jointly commissioned in 2017 from sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley and wanted it to “reflect the warmth, elegance and energy of the princess, as well as her work and the impact she had on so many people,” according to the Palace of Kensington.

The statue shows Diana surrounded by three minors, who “represent the universality and generational impact of the princess’s work,” and the brothers chose the image of their mother “based on the final period of her life, when she gained confidence in her role of ambassador for humanitarian causes ”.

The princes warmly greeted their aunts Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes at the family event.

In a low-key but highly choreographed act, the brothers each took a corner of the fabric covering the statue and revealed their mother immortalized in bronze. They looked at each other, clearly pleased with how everything had turned out.

The princes had worked together on all aspects of the project, with their teams coordinating the media preparations for the opening, and both seemed to get what they wanted.

However, the problems that have separated the brothers continue to exist. Thursday’s event will not have magically resolved the challenges they share or the fact that they are «on different roads right now«. But it felt like a rapprochement for the two brothers. They have grown apart personally, but are still able to work together professionally for common causes, and the only thing that will always unite estranged siblings is keeping their mother’s exceptional legacy alive.