Prince Harry Travels for Solo Trip to Follow in Mom Princess Diana’s Footsteps

Prince Harry is continuing to honor his late mother Princess Diana and her continued legacy with The HALO Trust.

The Duke of Sussex, 40, visited a remote Angolan village on Wednesday, July 16, to participate in a children’s safety class. A press release shared by The HALO Trust noted that Harry walked across the same area of minefield he initially visited in 2013. The area is the same place where the children gathered to attend the safety education class.

On Wednesday, Harry spoke to families who reside near Africa’s largest remaining minefield. “Children should never have to live in fear of playing outside or walking to school,” he said. “Here in Angola, over three decades later, the remnants of war still threaten lives every day.”

He continued, “The Angolan government’s continued commitment is a powerful testament to HALO’s success in saving lives and reducing humanitarian risk. We thank President Lourenço for his leadership and partnership, as well as continued donor support as we work together towards completing the mission of a landmine-free country.”

Ampe Pedro/The HALO Trust

The press release noted that Harry met with Lourenço on Tuesday, July 15, to welcome the government’s renewed commitment to landmine clearance. A new three-year contract was discussed with The HALO Trust. Harry, for his part, later attended a reception hosted by the British Embassy.

“We are hugely grateful to President Lourenço for his leadership and to the Duke of Sussex for his personal commitment to HALO’s work in Angola,” CEO of The HALO Trust James Cowan said in a statement. “This new contract is an important step forward in our mission to make Angola mine-free, and we will continue our work in solidarity with the Angolan people until every last mine is cleared.”

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Harry’s outing followed in the footsteps of the late Princess of Wales, who walked through a live minefield in 1997. (Diana, who was also a mother to son Prince William, died in a car accident at age 36 in 1997.)

He previously retraced his mother’s footsteps in a 2019 visit to the country with wife Meghan Markle. (Harry and Meghan tied the knot in 2018 and have since welcomed son Prince Archie and daughter Lilibet in 2019 and 2021, respectively.)

Ampe Pedro/The HALO Trust

“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,” a caption on the couple’s joint Instagram page read at the time.