Prince Harry says becoming a father has changed his landmine work

Prince Harry He referred to his role as a father during a discussion about his advocacy work in Angola at an event in support of the HALO Trust.

“A lot has changed in my life and in the world since 2019, when I first visited Angola,” Harry, 40, said at the New York event, which took place on Monday, September 23. “In those five years, I became a father for the second time.”

Harry shares son Archie, 5, and daughter Lilibet, 3, with his wife Meghan Markle.

“While we don’t need children to have a stake in the future of our planet, I know my mother would have been horrified at the thought of someone’s children or grandchildren living in a world still infested with mines,” he continued.

Harry’s involvement in The HALO Trust allows him to continue his mother’s, Princess DianaHarry’s legacy. The late Princess of Wales visited Angola in 1997 and walked through a minefield in the country. Harry did the same walk in 2019, noting that the view looked very different.

The place where Diana walked is now a “bustling, vibrant city,” Harry said. There is also the “Diana Tree,” which marks the spot where the late royal was photographed in 1997.

“As you know, the work of the HALO Trust in Angola meant a lot to my mother. Ensuring that her legacy lives on is a responsibility I take extremely seriously and I think we all know how much she would have wanted us to complete this particular work,” he told the crowd. “We are all here because we are a group of true believers fighting for a world free of mines.”

The HALO Trust’s goal is to help “war-torn communities recover,” according to the organization’s website.

“When conflicts end, the land is too often littered with landmines and other dangerous explosives,” says the HALO Trust. “Families live in fear and poverty. They cannot grow crops or graze their livestock, and their daily activities, such as going to school or collecting water, are fraught with risk. True peace is only possible when their lands are secure.”

Harry looked relieved after taking to the stage on Monday, listening to the CEO of The HALO Trust James Cowan also speaks well of Diana.

The Duke of Sussex is in New York to attend various events to support her ongoing advocacy work during the UN climate summit. Earlier on Monday, Harry paid tribute to his mother at the Diana Awards, speaking glowingly about the recipients, who were honoured as young people leading change through a range of initiatives.

“I congratulate you for being on this stage at your age, for having the confidence that you have and for being able to speak as clearly and as passionately as you do,” Harry shared, in part. “I know my mother would be incredibly proud of you, all of you honorees.”