I set out early to spend the day with colleagues from the RNIB. A quick bus ride along Marylebone Road gets me to Grimaldi House in around 20 minutes. I spend the next few hours working with the team there discussing a range of topics relevant to both of our enterprises. We share a passion to ensure that people with low vision or blindness get access to the best and most suitable range of equipment available. We explore a range of new devices coming onto the market and share strategic visions about the best ways to ensure people get access to these devices. We enjoy a working lunch and hold a few more discussions before I head off.
Later in the day I meet up with Mardi and we decide to head to Kensington Palace. We have another glorious day and the sun doesn’t set until after 9.00pm, so we have a few hours to explore.
We walk to Kensington Palace and walk around the duck ponds and take a closer look at the Diana exhibit. A gorgeous garden with a statue of Diana. Diana, Princess of Wales lived at Kensington Palace for fifteen years and admired the seasonal displays in the Sunken Garden, often stopping to talk to the gardeners.
The statue portrays Diana surrounded by three children, symbolising her dedication to and work with young people. The choice of including children is meant to reflect Diana’s warmth and her tireless efforts to support and advocate for children around the world.
Diana is depicted wearing a sleek, classic outfit reminiscent of her style during the later years of her life. Her pose is strong and compassionate, with her arms gently touching the children, indicating her protective nature and nurturing spirit.
The statue stands on a plinth, and at its base, there is a stone with an inscription that includes a quote from the poem “The Measure of a Man,” which was featured in the program for Diana’s memorial service in 2007. The quote reflects themes of kindness, compassion, and service, all qualities associated with Diana’s legacy.
The Sunken Garden, which was redesigned in 2017 to mark the 20th anniversary of Diana’s death, provides a serene and beautiful setting for the statue. The garden features a variety of Diana’s favourite flowers, enhancing the tranquil and reflective atmosphere surrounding the memorial.
Her sons, The Duke of Cambridge and The Duke of Sussex, commissioned the statue in memory of the Princess, unveiling it on 1 July 2021, which would have been her sixtieth birthday. The poem chosen to remember their mother is inset in the paving. It reads:
These are the units to measure the worth
Of this woman as a woman, regardless of birth.
Not what was her station?
But had she a heart?
How did she play her God-given part?
The planting is romantic and stylish, with viewpoints along the Cradle Walk designed to create a tranquil space to appreciate the garden and remember the Princess.
We observe the statue from the various viewing portals, each designed for quiet, solemn reflection. It is a serene space and we take it in as we circumnavigate the garden.
We wander past other statues and more duck ponds as we work our way home.
For dinner we visit the Ivy Café, an institution in Marylebone and highly recommended by the team at RNIB. A gorgeous little, yet busy, French café. I enjoy their signature burger and Mardi has the haddock. The food is great, but the classic Ivy Desert: The Chocolate Bombe, which comprises a melting dome with vanilla ice cream, honeycomb and hot caramel sauce. It is delicious, probably the best thing I’ve had since arriving in London.
After dinner, we wander home. We are staying in an area that is easy to walk and there is plenty nearby, so finding these little gems is awesome.
