Prince Harry addresses 'heartbreak' in new statement after trip without Meghan Markle
The Duke of Sussex recently made the trip to Angola to visit a minefield 28 years after his mother, Princess Diana, made her own visit to the same country.
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In a new statement posted to the official Sussex website following the visit, Prince Harry said: "As a father to young children, it breaks my heart to see innocent children still living and playing next to minefields. All of us have a duty to protect children and future generations from the harms of war, both present and past."
He continued: "I urge all donors to stand with Angola in fighting the job. This is not just about landmines, it's about healing the last wounds of war and giving future generations the peace they deserve."
Harry, who is a patron of the landmine clearance charity HALO Trust, was pictured visiting Africa's largest minefield in Cuito Cuanavale, where he followed in his mother's footsteps almost thirty years later.
"It's an incredibly heartfelt and personal statement from Prince Harry about a cause he has always cared so strongly about," says Danielle Stacey, HELLO!'s Online Royal Correspondent. "You can sense a deep need from him to continue the work that his mother began, and his message, as well as his trip, which was not announced in advance, will bring attention and awareness to the HALO Trust's vital work."
According to the charity, at least 60,000 people have been killed or injured by landmines in Angola since 2008. However, the true number is likely higher. HALO Trust has also worked to clear over 120,000 landmines and 100,000 bombs, but landmines have still caused 80 deaths in the past five years.
In 1997, just months before her death, Princess Diana walked through minefields in Huambo wearing a visor, a protective vest, and a white button-up shirt, which quickly became one of the most iconic images of her humanitarian legacy.
"I visited some of the mine victims... and when you look at the mangled bodies of some of the children, you marvel at their survival," the late Princess recalled during a 1997 speech, delivered at a seminar with the Mines Advisory Group and the Landmine Survivors Network.
The Duke has continued his mother's legacy by spearheading initiatives and visiting affected countries. In 2011, he made a visit to Mozambique, and in 2013, he traveled to Cuito Cuanavale in Angola on a private trip. Harry also launched the campaign for a Landmine Free 2025 on International Mine Awareness Day in 2017.
Meghan Markle was also noticeably absent from his trip; however, a source told the Daily Mail, "The Duke won't let his wife go to England over security concerns, so there was no chance he'd allow her to go to Angola to walk across landmines."
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