Left: Princess Diana walking through an Angola minefield in 1997. Right: Prince Harry doing the same in 2019. Photo: Getty Images
In 1997 Princess Diana walked through a partially cleared minefield in Huambo, Angola, wearing a crisp white oxford and only the lightest of protective gear. Her appearance shone an unprecedented spotlight on the humanitarian crisis of landmines. After her tragic death a few months later, the United Nations created the Ottawa Treaty, a piece of legislation that prohibits the use, stockpiling, production, and transfer of landmines.
More than 20 years later, her son Prince Harry has taken on landmine removal as one of his signature causes. Today, he again brought the issue to the fore by walking through a minefield in Dirico, Angola, himself. Visual comparisons were instantly made between his actions and those of his late mother’s.
After assisting the Halo Trust charity with its de-mining efforts, Harry went to Huambo, where his mother had been. A place of devastation during the days of Diana, it’s since rebounded thanks to removal efforts. “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 uninhabitable 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 recognize her tireless mission as an advocate for all those she felt needed her voice the most, even if the issue was not universally popular,” the Sussexes wrote on Instagram.
After strolling down the once explosive-laden street, now filled with colorful buildings, Harry called the visit “quite emotional,” according to the BBC.
“I’m incredibly proud of what she’s been able to do, and meet these kids here who were born on this street,” he said.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will continue their royal tour of Southern Africa through October 2.
Originally published on Vogue.com
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