Audrey Hepburn statue coming to Ixelles

A statue of Audrey Hepburn will be installed in Ixelles, where the iconic movie actress was born and spent the first nine years of her life.

La Capitale reports that the monument will be transferred from its current home in the Swiss town of Tolochenaz, where Hepburn died in 1993.

Ixelles alderwoman for heritage Nathalie Gilson said: "We made contact with Audrey Hepburn's son, Sean Ferrer, and with the town of Tolochenaz. Both of them accepted to give the statue to us. We're extraordinarily fortunate."

Its new home will be in the green space on the corner of Rue Keyenveld and Rue de l'Arbre Bénit, next to the former Solvay factory, where a new housing development is under construction.

Several administrative details have to be concluded, but Ixelles hopes the statue will be unveiled by the end of the year.