DIANA WOULD BE SO PROUD
Walking in his mother’s footsteps, ‘emotional’ Harry reveals he thinks of her every day and vows to finish her mission to rid the world of landmines
PRINCE Harry followed in his mother’s footsteps yesterday to highlight the scourge of landmines and call for them to be banned.
The Duke of Sussex said he believed Princess Diana would have dedicated her life to clearing the world of landmines as he visited Angola, saying: “I’m pretty sure she would
have seen it through.” During a day of symbolism that saw Harry wear body armour and a protective mask as Diana had done, he watched a de-mining team at work and toured an orthopaedic unit that she visited.
He said her memory remains with him every and was proud that her legacy lived on.
The Princess of Wales walked through a mine field decked out in protective gear just seven months before she died in a Paris tunnel.
Harry watched as staff from the land mine-clearance charity HALO Trust painstakingly worked to rid a remote area of Angola of military munitions.
In a speech, he said: “Landmines are an unhealed scar of war. By clearing the land mines, we can help this community find peace, and with peace comes opportunity.”
During a later visit to the area where Diana had been – now a road at the centre of a growing community – he paused for reflection under a tree which has remained since the royal’s visit 22 years ago. At the street affectionately known as “Princess Diana Street”, Harry delivered a call to action to help rid the world of the deadly weapons and help rebuild communities.
He said: “Twenty two years after my mother visited Angola, there are still more than 1,000 minefields in this beautiful country that remain to be cleared.
“I wonder if she was still alive whether that would still be the case. I’m pretty sure she would have seen it through.
“To walk in her footsteps is really quite emotional. And as much as she did then there is still so much to do, but without question if she hadn’t of campaigned the way that she did 22 years ago, this could arguably still be a minefield. So I’m incredibly proud of what she’s been able to do.”
Later Harry said he was “humbled and honoured” that his mother’s anti-landmine work continued to inspire others when he visited the orthopaedic centre which she visited in 1997, and he renamed in her honour. Speaking in the grounds of the institution which is undergoing renovation and aims to become Angola’s national centre of excellence in orthopaedic care, he said: “This visit is obviously deeply personal and meaningful to me.
“When she visited this centre during the conflict it was full of men, women and even children injured by landmines. It has been an honour to retrace my mother’s steps today. I lost her 22 years ago, but the memory of her is with me daily and her legacy lives on which is why I’m so happy to name this centre, the Princess Diana Orthopaedic Centre.”
During the visit Harry could not resist kneeling down and giving An emotional Prince Harry takes a moment to reflect under the tree where his mother had visited
six-year-old Barnaby Jose Mar a fist bump, which the youngster clearly enjoyed. The boy, who was born with a condition that means he has problems controlling his limbs, was practising walking.
Harry then met Justina Cesar, who lost her right leg to a landmine when she was just three years old and had met Diana during her visit. The Duke hugged her and asked: “Do you remember meeting my mother?”
Speaking afterwards, Ms Cesar, 38, said at the time she had no idea who Diana was. She said: “People just said she was a princess. But they did not say how important she was. She greeted us, and laid her hand on my brow. I was so happy about that. She was very special.”
THE world will never forget the day 22 years ago when the Princess of Wales walked through an Angolan minefield. She displayed courage, grace and a genius for bringing issues of profound importance to a global audience. Yesterday, her son followed in her footsteps.
Prince Harry visited the former danger zone, which is now a street in Huambo.
It took a different type of bravery for him to visit a place of such searing personal significance, but the motivation was the same. He has refocused world attention on the horrendous and continuing impact of landmines, putting a spotlight on the brilliant work of the Halo Trust.
His mother was famously ahead of her times, particularly when encouraging a compassionate response to the Aids crisis. She would have taken pride in the way her son shows similarly inspired leadership on issues ranging from mental health to the welfare of veterans and the environment.
In his younger days he was sometimes hotheaded and made mistakes, but his passion for Africa and the instant rapport he can establish with children everywhere is remarkable. He is using his charisma and fame to build a better world. He should know the people of this nation are right behind him. This young dad is blessed with a wonderful wife who shares his values and together they are a shining force for good.
He should ignore the critics and cynics and keep up his magnificent and vital work.