Princes William and Harry to unite to unveil statue of Diana

Watch: Prince Harry pays tribute to mother at Diana Awards

Prince William and Prince Harry are to unite for the first time since the funeral of their grandfather as they unveil a statue of their mother, the late Princess Diana.

All eyes will be on the two brothers as they play a key role in the small ceremony to reveal the long-awaited tribute in the Sunken Garden of Kensington Palace on Thursday.

Harry, 36, arrived in the UK over the weekend, isolating at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor, the home he was given by the Queen when he married Meghan in May 2018.

William, 39, has had a busy week, spending Monday in Scotland with his grandmother as she started her annual royal week of engagements, and then jetting back in time to watch the England match at Wembley with his son Prince George and wife Kate.

With Harry quarantining, it's not known if there will be a suitable opportunity for the brothers to catch up before the event.

But The Telegraph reports the two men plan to talk privately after the ceremony.

Read more: Why did Prince George wear a suit to the England match?

Despite initial speculation that the event would include Kate, William's wife, she is not on the guestlist for the unveiling, perhaps to mirror that Meghan could not fly over from California, having recently given birth to daughter Lilibet.

Instead the two brothers and close family of Diana will be there, alongside the garden designer Pip Morrison and sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley.

A royal source told PA: "Plans have been scaled back due to the current COVID-19 restrictions and media arrangements reflect both the size and tone of the event."

It's likely the family of Diana will include her brother Charles the Earl Spencer and sister Lady Sarah McCorquodale.

Although she won't attend, there's been pressure on the Duchess of Cambridge, 39, who has been dubbed the peacemaker between the brothers.

Watch: Prince William remembers Duke of Edinburgh in Glasgow

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Kate has always been close to Harry and it was her careful manoeuvring after the funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh that ensured William spoke to his younger brother on the walk between the chapel and the castle back in April.

But there is speculation that even something honouring their late mother will not be enough for the two to reconcile.

Harry gave a nod to the event on Monday in a surprise video appearance for the Diana Awards, but found himself accused of trying to "mark his Spencer territory" by making remarks before his brother had been able to.

Angela Levin, who spent time with Harry and subsequently wrote the book Conversations With The Prince, said: "Is it just coincidence that Harry’s words about the Princess were made public before his elder brother had made the first, official speech?

"Or was this video performance a way of taking ownership of their mother’s legacy for himself, albeit couched in the language of LA therapy?

"Having given up his place in the Windsors, has Harry decided to mark his Spencer territory?"

Harry described his relationship with William as "space" and previously said they were on "different paths", back in October 2019.

The statue was commissioned by the brothers in 2017, as they marked 20 years since Diana's death, a point at which they said they would not be speaking about her again.

A six-strong team including Lady Sarah, Julia Samuel, a godparent of Prince George and friend of Diana, and Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, the brothers’ former principal private secretary, decided who would make the statue and raised the funds.

Its unveiling has been delayed in part by coronavirus restrictions.

The delay has meant there's a stark contrast between where the brothers were when it was commissioned and where they are now.

They live thousands of miles apart, with Harry and Meghan settled into life in California, her home state.

The couple run a non-profit, and have deals with Spotify and Netflix.

Harry has talked of the "cycle of pain" in his family and his upbringing, even suggesting his father Prince Charles and William are "trapped" in royal life.

By contrast, William and Kate spend their time in London and Norfolk, continuing their work for the Queen.

The brothers are not thought to be in regular contact.

In a statement when the project was announced, the brothers said: "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."

It remains to be seen on Thursday how that legacy will be reflected by them.