The Duke of Sussex spoke at an event in New York hosted by the Halo Trust, a charity which works to clear landmines and other explosive devices which was closely associated with Princess Diana
Prince Harry told how Princess Diana would be “horrified” to think that children are still dying from mines, as he showed support for a charity closely associated with his mum.
The Duke of Sussex, who celebrated his 40th birthday on September 15, has attended an event in New York hosted by the Halo Trust, a charity which primarily works to clear landmines and other explosive devices left behind by conflicts.
The Halo Trust rose to prominence in 1997 after Harry’s mum, Diana, memorably walked through an active minefield in Angola as she called for an international ban.
And the humanitarian group now states that “countless thousands of lives” have been saved since the ban did come into place following Diana’s visit. Harry has previously spoken about how he wanted to continue his mother’s work which he feels was “unfinished” due to her death.
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Princess Diana called for a ban on landmines (
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And when the work done by Diana was mentioned at the event in New York, Harry said: “Carrying on her legacy is a responsibility that I take incredibly seriously.”
Then discussing his own life since his trip to Angola five years ago he talked about how plenty has changed since then with his family leaving the UK for the United States where he currently lives in California and he became a father for a second time.
“Much has changed in my life and the world since 2019 when I first visited,” said Harry, reported People. “In those five years, I’ve become a father for the second time. And while you don’t need children to have a stake in the future of our planet, I do know that my mother would have been horrified that anyone’s children or grandchildren would live in a world still infested with mines.”
Harry previously told former rugby player Gareth Thomas in a podcast interview: “I think once you get to meet people and you see the suffering around the world, you can’t turn, I certainly can’t turn, my back on that. Then add in the fact that my mum’s work was unfinished, I feel obligated to try and continue that as much as possible.”
He admitted he “could never fill her shoes” because of “what she did and what she stood for and how vocal she was about this issue.” Five years ago, Harry echoed his mother’s words in a speech calling for action to clear Angola of landmines. The prince urged leaders not to leave the work “half done” as he described landmines “a humanitarian issue, not a political one.”
Diana famously wore a protective visor and vest to visit a minefield cleared by the Halo Trust in the wartorn country, just months before her death in 1997. Images of her visit prompted mine clearing efforts worldwide.
In a speech at a Chatham House Africa Programme event in London in June 2019 Harry talked about the iconic moment. He said: “I was told just the other day of the positive transformation in Huambo since my mother walked that minefield all those years ago. What is less well-known is the impact landmines can have on conservation and wildlife, and therefore the economy.”
