Prince Harry follows in Diana's footsteps - and returns to Angola to back landmine clearing charity

16 Jul 2025, 01:28 · Sky News

The Duke of Sussex has visited Angola to support a landmine clearing charity, repeating a famous trip his mother made in 1997.

Prince Harry met with families in a remote village near Africa's largest minefield as part of The Halo Trust's outreach programme.

Princess Diana visited the country in January 1997, supporting the same charity, seven months before she was killed in a car crash in Paris.

Image: Prince Harry walking down a cleared path in a minefield. Pic: The Halo Trust

Image: Diana walks in one of the safety corridors of the landmine field in Huanbo in January 1997. Pic Reuters

Diana famously wore protective equipment and walked through a cleared path in an active minefield in Huambo, during a break in fighting in the African country's long civil war.

Her attention to the plight of Angola - including civilians injured by landmines - helped secure a treaty banning the munitions.

Wearing similar protective gear, Harry has followed in his mother's footsteps by walking through a minefield in Cuito Cuanavale and raising awareness of HALO, which helps clear landmines from old war zones.

Image: The duke speaks with charity workers. Pic: The Halo Trust

Image: Harry meets a village leader. Pic: The Halo Trust

During his visit on Wednesday, the duke also helped educate children to stop them detonating lethal devices left behind from the country's civil war.

"Children should never have to live in fear of playing outside or walking to school," Harry said.

"Here in Angola, over three decades later, the remnants of war still threaten lives every day."

Harry began his trip to the African nation by meeting Angolan President Joao Lourenco on Tuesday, a statement from Halo said.

Image: Harry during a community outreach session on landmines. Pic: The Halo Trust

Image: Harry met the country's president on Tuesday to discuss efforts to rid Angola of landmines. Pic: The Halo Trust

The pair discussed a new three-year contract between the Angolan government and The Halo Trust, which the charity's chief executive James Cowan described as "an important step forward in our mission to make Angola mine-free".

The duke attended a reception hosted by the British Embassy on Tuesday evening.

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During a previous trip in 2019, he said Angola's continued problem with landmines would likely have been solved if his mother had lived.

He also met landmine survivor Sandra Tigica - 22 years after his mother Princess Diana was pictured with the then 13-year-old, who lost a leg.

Image: Harry met Sandra Tigica in 2019, 22 years after his mother first met the young landmine survivor. File pic: PA

Halo estimates that around 80,000 Angolans have been killed or injured by landmines during and after the 27-year civil war, although there are no exact figures.

The organisation says just over 1,000 minefields, covering an estimated 26 sq miles (67 sq km) still needed to be cleared at the end of 2024. Angola had set a goal to be landmine-free by 2025.