Prince Harry Retraced Diana's Steps Through a Mine Field

Early this morning, Prince Harry visited a mine field in Dirico, Angola, and the work of charity Halo Trust to clear the area. His walk through landmine-cleared area echoed his mother, Princess Diana.

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Early this morning, Prince Harry visited a mine field in Dirico, Angola, and the work of charity Halo Trust to clear the area. His walk through landmine-cleared area echoed his mother, Princess Diana, as she made a similar walk when she visited a mine field in Angola (that field has since been turned into a bustling street, so it's not the exact same area). Diana made headlines at the time, and her work was critical for establishing a worldwide ban on the explosive devices. Angola is working to be landmine-free by 2025.

During his speech, Harry had a new message for the gathered crowd, speaking to one of the most important causes he's highlighted so far on the tour—climate change. He said, "By clearing the landmines we can help this community find peace and with peace comes opportunity. Eco tourism will bring more jobs to Angola in the future than its oil and gas industries." This feel so, so important to me, and an important update to the work his mother did. Royal reporter Kelly Matthews noted that Harry is 35, just the age Diana was when she made her trip.

According to the Sussex Royal Instagram account, "The Duke is humbled to be visiting a place and a community that was so special to his mother, and to recognise 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 account also used Diana's original quote in 1997: "If an international ban on mines can be secured it means, looking far ahead, that the world may be a safer place for this generation's grandchildren."

They also shared shots of the event:

And video, including of Harry remotely detonating a landmine:

As well as, of course, a picture of Diana:

And reporters shared video of him walking down the exact place his mother did:

Really sweet and wonderful.

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Katherine J. Igoe
Katherine J. Igoe
Contributing Editor

Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York Times, Parents, InStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award. 

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeans, how sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.