Prince William will visit Princess Diana's statue with Kate and children ahead of unveiling with Harry

Prince William is planning to visit his mother Princess Diana's statue with his wife Kate Middleton and their three children before officially unveiling it with his brother Prince Harry on Thursday.

According to a report on the Telegraph, the Duke of Cambridge wanted to give Kate and their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis a chance to see the statue in the Sunken Garden of Kensington Palace before it was shown to the wider world. Prince Harry is also expected to visit the statue separately before it is unveiled on July 1, on what would have been Diana's 60th birthday.

It is believed that the statue has been put in its position, as the plinth where it was supposed to be placed has been covered with a large black box. William and Harry will unveil the statue in a memorial that has been drastically scaled back in view of the coronavirus pandemic. Just a handful of guests from the British royal family and the Spencer family will be able to attend, and only one pool reporter and broadcaster would be invited to cover the event.

Harry and William will pay tribute to their mother in separate speeches at the event which marks their last joint venture. Their reunion is expected to be tense and awkward, as friends reveal that neither of them is willing to take the first step to present a united front at the memorial.

One of the mutual friends of the brothers told The Sunday Times: "Neither are offering an olive branch. I fear it will be the same as at Prince Philip's funeral, a nod of recognition and that's about it."

Another pal added that they are worried "on the day it will be difficult to separate the statue from the occasion, which is now loaded with all sorts of unwelcome baggage."

Harry arrived in the UK on Friday and will be isolating at his Frogmore Cottage residence for five days ahead of the unveiling. He is expected to return to California soon after, to be reunited with his wife Meghan Markle, son Archie, and newborn daughter Lilibet Diana.