Harry and Meghan Plan a Return to the Landmine Fields of Africa
The young royals are set to continue what many see as Diana’s most important legacy: the campaign against the horrors of landmines.
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will travel to the war-torn nation of Angola in Africa later this year to campaign against landmines, picking up the thread of Princess Diana’s most memorable legacy 20 years after her death, according to multiple reports today.
It is not yet known whether baby Archie will travel with them.
Harry and Meghan will travel to Angola as ambassadors for the HALO Trust, the Sun and ITV reported, pointedly recalling the visit of Diana to the country in January 1997, just months before her tragic death, when she was pictured wearing a protective visor as she walked through a minefield.
The pictures became among the most iconic images of Diana and many believe her role in highlighting the issue helped effect a worldwide ban on landmines, enacted shortly after she died.
Diana also detonated a live landmine during her visit in a demonstration of their power, and met many young people who had been horrifically disabled after having limbs blown off by mines.
At the time, the country’s bloody 25-year-long civil war was still raging. Although it has officially now ended, there are still pockets of resistance throughout the country and abandoned landmine fields continue to be a huge danger to its people.
Harry will attend a conference in London next week that will focus on mine clearance in Angola.
In a statement, the palace said: “The presence of land mines and remnants of the civil war render large areas of the country unsafe.”
Harry said in 2017 that his mother was criticized for stepping “over the line into the arena of political campaigning—but for her this wasn’t about politics; it was about people. She knew she had a big spotlight to shine, and she used it to bring attention on the people that others had forgotten, ignored, or were too afraid to support.”
According to ITV, the couple will also use the trip to further the work of Sentebale, the charity Harry founded with Lesotho’s Prince Seeiso in 2006 to support the mental health and well-being of children and young people affected by HIV and AIDS in Lesotho, Botswana, and Malawi.
On Tuesday night, Prince Harry was at Hampton Court for a charity concert to raise money for the charity.
The Sussex Royal Instagram page posted pictures of Harry at the gig, which featured singer-songwriter Rita Ora.
A post on the account said: “In the last 20 years, attitudes have changed as more people understand that the HIV virus is no longer a death sentence, yet there is still far too much stigma, discrimination, and lack of education surrounding the illness. Many people are afraid to access life-saving treatment because they fear what others will think.
“Support from the concert goes to the children of Lesotho, Botswana, and Malawi, to help free the next generation of HIV by not letting stigma thrive off silence.”