Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain

The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain stands in the southwest corner of Hyde Park, just south of the Serpentine lake and east of the Serpentine Gallery. It occupies a gently sloping oval of grass measuring about fifty by eighty metres. The centrepiece is a shallow granite stream bed, three to six metres wide, laid out as a continuous oval channel. Water is pumped to the top and flows down both sides, one smooth and rippled, the other broken by steps and curves. The two flows were intended to mirror different sides of Diana’s life. The fountain was designed by American landscape artist Kathryn Gustafson and built by Gustafson Porter with specialist engineering from Ocmis Ltd. Its £3.6 million cost was met by public and private funds. The opening ceremony on 6 July 2004 was attended by Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, Princes William and Harry, Prince Philip, and Diana’s sisters and brother. The granite pieces were cut in Northern Ireland and shipped to England before assembly on site. Visitors find a wide grassy oval surrounding the shallow water channel. The water moves quietly down the rippled side and plays over the stepped side before collecting in a calm pool. A fence and wardens keep the channel clear of walkers, and drainage improvements protect the grass from turning to mud. The memorial sits within Hyde Park’s mature landscape, close to the Serpentine Gallery and the lake.