Prince William and Kate Middleton just paid a very special tribute to Princess Diana

Princess Diana was a true trailblazer, from her iconic style moments to her determination to be human, even abandoning the royal protocol of wearing gloves so she could have direct contact with people that she met. She later went on to stop wearing hats, famously saying, ‘You can’t cuddle a child in a hat.’

Earlier this summer, on what would have been her 60th birthday (July 1st), her two children Prince William and Prince Harry reunited to honour her with a statue.

The statue, sculpted by Ian Rank-Broadley, was unveiled privately in its new home - Kensington Palace's Sunken Garden, with Princess Diana's family in attendance.

Prince Harry flew back to the UK from California to join his brother at the unveiling and together they made 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 around the world, changing countless lives for the better.

‘Every day, we wish she were still with us, and our hope is that this statue will be seen forever as a symbol of her life and legacy.

‘Thank you to Ian Rank-Broadley, Pip Morrison and their teams for their outstanding work, to the friends and donors who helped make this happen, and to all those around the world who keep our mother’s memory alive.’

Despite the statue being unveiled back in July, the reception has only just taken place this week, with the event postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

This week, Prince William and Kate Middleton paid special tribute to Princess Diana, hosting the postponed formal event.

The guest list of around 100 people was reported to include Princess Diana’s relatives, friends and former staff.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle did not attend the reception, but it is thought that the Duke has thanked donors and attendees privately.

The royal family has not commented.