Prince Harry and Prince William reportedly decided against separate speeches at Princess Diana's statue unveiling to divert attention from their rift

• Prince Harry and William decided against delivering separate speeches at Diana's statue unveiling.
• They issued a joint statement instead, reportedly as a way to divert attention from their rift.
• Royal commentator Kinsey Schofield says this tactic may have been inspired by Charles and Diana.

Prince William and Prince Harry appeared to put their reported rift to one side for the unveiling of Princess Diana's memorial statue last week.

The brothers delivered a joint statement at the unveiling, held on what would have been Diana's 60th birthday on Thursday.

"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," they said in a statement obtained by Insider. "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 her legacy."

There had been speculation in the British media as to whether the brothers would deliver individual speeches ahead of the unveiling.

Harry and William ultimately decided against this as a way to bring the focus back to the memorial, rather than to their reported rift, People reports.

Royal author Robert Lacey told People that it was a "very well-judged decision."

"The idea of rival speeches could have been disastrous, but to bring out a considered joint statement was perfect and shows a way ahead," Lacey, author of "Battle of Brothers," told the publication.

"It was their idea and it was a joint effort," Princess Diana's protection officer Ken Wharfe also told the publication.

Meanwhile, royal commentator Kinsey Schofield told Insider that the joint statement may have been inspired by previous statements made on behalf of Prince Charles and Princess Diana during their 1996 divorce proceedings, as published by The New York Times that year.

"In only releasing a joint statement, the palace and princes have limited our ability to dissect their speeches and their body language. This allowed the focus to be on their mother and her statue," Kinsey, founder of To Di For Daily, told Insider.

"The joint statement is a classic Buckingham Palace strategy that translates to 'We've got everything under control!' Think Prince Charles and Princess Diana, July 1996 when they were eager to make it look like the divorce was amicable," she added.

Former British Prime Minister John Major was the first to announce the end of Diana and Charles' relationship in 1992, saying they had chosen to separate "amicably," according to History.com.

The couple continued to carry out royal duties with their sons as a family, until they announced their divorce in 1996.

Representatives for the Duke of Cambridge did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. Representatives for the Duke of Sussex declined to comment.