Why Prince Charles will be missing from Princess Diana's statue unveiling: report
The Prince of Wales was married to Diana from 1981 to 1996
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Prince Charles will reportedly be absent from Princess Diana’s upcoming statue unveiling.
According to Entertainment Tonight, the Prince of Wales, who was married to the late mother of Princes William and Harry from 1981 to 1996, elected not to attend the memorial moment simply because he "doesn't want to be a distraction."
"He and Diana had a complicated relationship after their divorce, but they came to appreciate each other," the source added of Charles, who will reportedly be in Scotland at the time of the unveiling.
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Diana died in 1997 following a car crash in Paris, France. She was 36.
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Prince Charles will reportedly be absent from Princess Diana’s statue unveiling. (Photo by Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)
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Charles, 72, was also noticeably absent from commemorative events paying tribute to Diana on the 20th anniversary of her death, instead, spending the time with his wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall in the royal family’s home in Scotland.
The statue was commissioned by William, 39, and Harry, 36, back in 2017 and was set to be presented in 2020, however, the coronavirus pandemic put plans on hold. Now, the event to "recognize [Diana’s] positive impact in the United Kingdom and around the world" will take place officially on July 1 – the day on which Diana would have turned 60.
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The statue was sculpted by artist Ian Rank-Broadley and for its unveiling, Diana’s siblings, Lady Jane Fellowes, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Charles Spencer, will be in attendance as will William and Harry, members of the statue committee and garden designer Pip Morrison.
The unveiling will mark the first time Harry will reunite with his family in his home country since the funeral of his grandfather, Prince Philip, in April.
A rep for Kensington Palace did not immediately respond to Fox News' request for comment.