Prince Harry followed in Diana's footsteps in Angola

It's Day 5 of the Sussexes royal tour of Africa, where Prince Harry departed Botswana for Angola, and part of that trip was a poignant one as he walked through a (deactivated) minefield to put a spotlight on the threat they still pose—something his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, did 22 years ago.Just like his late mum, Harry wore body armour as he walked through the former artillery base near the town of Dirico. For good measure, he also felt what it was like to destroy a landmine, by setting off a controlled detonation. Diana actually visited a different site in Angola in 1997, Huambo, a place which is now a bustling community. In a statement from Samantha Cohen, the Sussexes' private secretary, Harry will get to see firsthand "how an area that was a dangerous minefield in 1997 is now a busy street with schools, shops and houses—a demonstration of the benefits of de-mining."

 

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“If an international ban on mines can be secured it means, looking far ahead, that the world may be a safer place for this generation's grandchildren.” – Princess Diana, 1997 Today in Angola The Duke of Sussex will retrace his mother’s steps to see the legacy of her work and how her connection with this community helped make the elimination of landmines a reality. In 1997 Diana Princess of Wales visited Huambo to bring global attention to the crisis of landmines and the people whose lives were being destroyed. Two decades later, the area has transformed from desolate and unhabitable to lively and vibrant, with colleges, schools and small businesses. The Duke is humbled to be visiting a place and a community that was so special to his mother, and to recognise her tireless mission as an advocate for all those she felt needed her voice the most, even if the issue was not universally popular. Princess Diana’s visit helped change the course of history, and directly led to the Convention against Anti-Personal Landmines, also known as the Ottawa Treaty. Today, with the support of @thehalotrust, Angola now has a stated aim under the Treaty to be clear of known mines by 2025. Despite great progress, 60 million people worldwide still live in fear of landmines every day. During his visit today, The Duke will walk along the street which was once the minefield where his mother was famously pictured. #RoyalTourAfrica #RoyalVisitAngola Photo©️PA

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It's not the first time Harry has visited Angola. The royal is patron of the Halo Trust, a charity Diana championed for years, and he travelled to Cuito Cuanavale in 2013 to see the charity's mine clearance work. During the visit, Harry said, "By clearing the landmines we can help this community find peace and with peace comes opportunity. ... Eco tourism will bring more jobs to Angola in the future than its oil and gas industries." This sentiment echoed his mother's mission, who said in 1997, "If an international ban on mines can be secured it means, looking far ahead, that the world may be a safer place for this generation's grandchildren." And it looks like Harry is continuing that fight.

 

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Following in the footsteps of his mother, Princess Diana, this morning The Duke of Sussex visited a de-mining site in Dirico, Angola, to raise awareness of the danger and prevalence of landmines that still exists today. The Duke joined @thehalotrust in their work to help clear the area to enable safe access for the local community. • “If an international ban on mines can be secured it means, looking far ahead, that the world may be a safer place for this generation's grandchildren.” – Princess Diana, 1997 Today in Angola The Duke of Sussex will retrace his mother’s steps to see the legacy of her work and how her connection with this community helped make the elimination of landmines a reality. In 1997 Diana Princess of Wales visited Huambo to bring global attention to the crisis of landmines and the people whose lives were being destroyed. Two decades later, the area has transformed from desolate and unhabitable to lively and vibrant, with colleges, schools and small businesses. The Duke is humbled to be visiting a place and a community that was so special to his mother, and to recognise her tireless mission as an advocate for all those she felt needed her voice the most, even if the issue was not universally popular. Princess Diana’s visit helped change the course of history, and directly led to the Convention against Anti-Personal Landmines, also known as the Ottawa Treaty. Today, with the support of @thehalotrust, Angola now has a stated aim under the Treaty to be clear of known mines by 2025. Despite great progress, 60 million people worldwide still live in fear of landmines every day. During his visit today, The Duke will walk along the street which was once the minefield where his mother was famously pictured. #RoyalVisitAfrica #RoyalVisitAngola Photo©️PA

A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal) on Sep 27, 2019 at 12:12am PDT

Once Harry wraps up in Dirico, he'll continue on to Luengue-Luiana National Park where he'll unveil the Queen's Commonwealth Canopy, similar to the dedication he did while he and Meghan were on Fraser Island during their last overseas tour in the South Pacific. He then moves on to Huambo, that same (yet very different) place his mother walked in 1997, where he will receive a cultural welcome. An emotional day for Prince Harry to be sure.

 

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The Duke of Sussex sits alone beneath the Diana Tree. ?: Pa

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