Why is there a Princess Diana memorial in Thorpe St Andrew?
Published: 6:00 AM July 1, 2021  The memorial to Diana, Princess of Wales in Thorpe St Andrew - Credit: Nick Richards  As a statue is unveiled celebrating the life of the Princess of Wales, Nick Richards looks at the history of a tribute to Diana on the outskirts of Norwich. Diana, Princess of Wales would have turned 60 today (July 1)  To mark this event, a new statue is being unveiled in the Sunken Garden of Kensington Palace which her children, Prince William and Prince Harry, hope will allow visitors to the palace to reflect on their mother's life and legacy. The memorial to Diana, Princess of Wales in Thorpe St Andrew which sits under a large hornbeam tree - Credit: Nick Richards  Norfolk-born Diana already has a tribute in Norwich's Castle Gardens, but there is also one on River Green in Thorpe St Andrew which you may not know about. Close to The Rushcutters Pub and near the town's war memorial is a small plaque to Diana in front of a tree which was planted in her memory in the late 1990s. No official service has ever been held at the Princess Diana memorial in Thorpe St Andrew - Credit: Nick Richards  You may also want to watch:  In recognition of her 60th birthday this week, vice chair of Broadland District Council,, councillor John Fisher, Thorpe St Andrew deputy mayor Jane Fisher and councillor Sue Lawn, Thorpe St Andrew mayor, visited the memorial to pay their respects. Mr Fisher explained the history of the memorial. He said: "It was a Broadland District Council initiative. We felt at the time of her death that there should be some recognition of her in this county due to her Norfolk links. From left, vice chair Broadland District Council, Cllr John Fisher, Thorpe St Andrew deputy mayor Jane Fisher with Cllr Sue Lawn, Thorpe St Andrew mayor at the Diana memorial - Credit: Submited  "A man called Paul White from the conservation office managed to get an agreement that a tree would be planted as a memorial and they started to look for a site across Broadland that would be suitable - they'd looked at Thorpe Lodge as a possible option. "River Green was eventually chosen as it's quite a unique place and in the same parish as Broadland District Council's headquarters so it was approved by the parish council to be the location for a tree and memorial." Princess Diana at Sandringham on Christmas Day 1994 - Credit: Archant  The memorial plaque to Diana sits underneath an impressive hornbeam tree today, although the original memorial was replaced in 2017. Mr Fisher said: "The original stone had deteriorated so was replaced around the time of the 20th anniversary of her death. That original stone is now in the sensory garden for dementia sufferers at the rear of Roxley Hall. The memorial stone was replaced in 2017 - Credit: Nick Richards  "Although the current memorial on RIver Green attracts visitors and we see the occasional bunch of flowers placed near it, there has, to the best of my knowledge, never been a specific service held there."