Prince Harry Follows in Diana’s Footsteps With Visit to Angolan Minefield

Prince Harry lived up to his mother’s humanitarian legacy on Friday, when he visited the same Angolan street that Princess Diana visited in 1997, when she embarked on her famous minefield walk. The HALO Trust mine site outside Dirico, Angola, was the latest stop on the Duke of Sussex’s 10-day tour of southern Africa, and from the looks of it, the most meaningful. The street, which was once littered with mines, has since been renamed “Princess Diana Street,” though all that remains from the original site is a lone tree.

When Harry stopped at that tree, he addressed the school children, de-miners, and local residents that had gathered, CNN reports.”It’s been quite emotional retracing my mother’s steps along this street 22 years on … and to see the transformation that has taken place from an unsafe and desolate area into a vibrant community of local businesses and colleges,” he said.

When Diana visited the site in 1997, she was photographed wearing protective gear, while she was guided along a rare safe lane, a far cry from the site visited by Harry on Friday. That transformation was not lost on him, as he paid tribute to those who risked their lives to make it a mine-free zone. “None of this progress would have been possible without the spirit and unwavering determination of the Angolan people,” he said. “The work of de-mining is dangerous, expensive and laborious. And I have the utmost admiration and respect for all who do this hazardous work and risk their lives in the service of their country.”

Harry concluded his visit by remotely detonated one of the remaining mines, and speaking about how the de-mining efforts have laid down the foundation for future generations in the community. “This historic commitment is a key step forward for the movement to rid the world of mines and lay the foundation for a safe and just future for the next generation,” he explained. “Landmines are an unhealed scar of war. By clearing the landmines, we can help this community find peace, and with peace comes opportunity.”

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