Prince Harry is set to follow in his mother’s footsteps as he pushes for a ban on land mines.
The late Princess Diana – who tragically lost her life in 1997 when she was involved in a fatal car crash in Paris, France – famously walked through a mine field in Angola in the year of her death to raise awareness for those killed and injured by the buried bombs.
Now, her 32-year-old son Prince Harry will continue her work as he gears up to speak at a Landmine Free World 2025 reception at Kensington Palace in aid of International Mine Awareness Day on Tuesday (04.04.17).
Kensington Palace said in a statement: "In the year marking the 20th anniversary of the Princess’s death, Prince Harry is pleased to have this moment to recognise the significant contribution his mother made in this field, the progress which has been made by the Mines Advisory Group, the Hazardous Areas Life-Support Organisation, the UK Government and other organisations, and the opportunity to continue raising awareness of making the world land mine-free by 2025."
Harry will recognise the contribution his mother made to the signing of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Treaty in Ottawa in 1997, which 80 per cent of countries have gone on to endorse.
The news comes after Diana enraged politicians by endorsing a world wide ban on the use of land mines, and was dubbed a "loose cannon" after it was claimed she wasn’t acting in line with policy.
Speaking in June 1997, the Princess said: "The world is too little aware of the waste of life, limb and land which anti-personnel land mines are causing among some of the poorest people on Earth.
"Some people chose to interpret my visit as a political statement. But it was not. I am not a political figure. My interests are humanitarian. That is why I felt drawn to this human tragedy."
Meanwhile, Prince Harry has previously visited Angola and Mozambique, where he has met with amputees and witnessed the devastating effects that land mines have on some of the poorest people in the affected communities.
Prince Harry pushes for land mine ban
