How Prince Harry Is Making a Difference 25 Years After His Mom Princess Diana's Iconic Landmine Walk

How Prince Harry Is Making a Difference 25 Years After His Mom Princess Diana’s Iconic Landmine Walk

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Twenty-five years ago, Princess Diana stepped out onto an active minefield in Angola to aid in the call for an international ban on landmines.

Now, decades later, her son Prince Harry is the only other person who matches his late mother’s impact on the ongoing issue to rid the world of landmines.

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That’s the opinion of a man who joined the Duke of Sussex more than two years ago when he walked in the footsteps of Diana in a former warzone in Angola.

In 2019, Harry visited the same town, Huambo, where his mother made her trailblazing walk through an area being cleared by the charity HALO Trust on January 15, 1997.

“There’s no comparison to the public attention that we get in moments like that with Prince Harry to anything else, not just HALO does, but the entire cause of organizations who work to remove landmines or to assist the victims thereafter through medical services,” Chris Whatley, HALO USA’s Executive Director, tells PEOPLE.

He continues, “Nothing gets the attention, whether it be at the highest level of governments or whether it’s the boy scout troop that makes a small contribution on which we depend, and all of that is amplified and accelerated by Prince Harry because of this dynamic relationship between who he is as his own person, his own service, his own set of causes and his unique ability to connect with people.”

And, of course, ahead of Harry was the late princess, “who sits out there as this continuing moral presence in the cause,” Whatley adds.

prince-harry-3-2000B Princess Diana and Prince Harry | Credit: PA Wire/PA Images; Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire/PA Images

Diana made the issue such an important one in the last year of her life.

“As soon as Princess Diana made her walk, it became a front of mind issue,” he says of her visit to Angola. “It took the convening power of Princess Diana to do that, to put it on the world stage to create that public momentum that, that allows for the political support, the rallying that continues to this day.”

Following Diana’s death in 1997, one of her key legacies was the signing of the Ottawa Mine Ban Treaty, which called for all countries to unite to rid the world of landmines.

When Harry visited the town of Huamba in September 2019, Whatley was with him.

“He’s a very approachable and dynamic guy. He walked down exact same street and there’s a hospital on one side, there’s a school on the other,” he recalls. “There are all of these kids in the white uniforms lined up to greet him and sing, and he’s there interacting with them. But then he pauses at the memorial, there’s a tree leftover from that moment and the memorial for her. And you could empathize with him. There was an authentic moment of connection to his mother and her cause.”

A lot has changed in the area since Diana made her famous walk — a testament to Diana’s efforts and the work of HALO and others.

Diana Minefield Credit: Tim Graham/Getty Images

“You could see that the presence of all that infrastructure, all those people, the houses on one side, people on their balconies cheering, all of that is a result of her presence 25 years ago. Had she not showed up there, this would still be a bombed-out hulk of a street,” Whatley says.

That day was emotional for Harry, especially when he spoke publicly.

“You could see it in his expression — there was a kind of tension between his connection to his mom and realizing that he’s in a place that was so much a part of who she was then and what her legacy is now,” Whatley shares. “It was such a specific resonance to his mother who he obviously loves and continues to mourn. And then there was the kind of excitement and energy that you get when you see how much has changed and how much impact that she made and how much gratitude he was feeling.”

The Duke of Sussex The Duke of Sussex walks through a minefield in Dirico, Angola, during a visit to see the work of landmine clearance charity the Halo Trust, on day five of the royal tour of Africa. | Credit: PA Wire/PA Images

Back in 2017, Harry pledged his ongoing support to make the world free of landmines by 2025. Whatley believes that, while progress is being made, it is a tough target.

“War and other factors are making that difficult, but there are key countries who will get across that finish line,” he says. “Zimbabwe’s one, Sri Lanka is another and the voice of Prince Harry is key for maintaining that momentum. We will witness fantastic progress, but I still think that there will be more work to be done. And as a result, his voice is needed more than ever.”

Whatley says in the U.S., both Republicans and Democrats have agreed on the support that is needed for organizations like the HALO Trust, which are clearing landmine areas. Since Diana made it such a prominent issue, 80 percent of the world’s deadly mines have been cleared, Whatley says. But HALO is still spending around $120 million around the world with 10,000 operatives helping to make communities safe.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex Prince Harry | Credit: Dominic Lipinski/PA Images

Reflecting on Diana’s first visit (she later visited Bosnia, shortly before her death), he adds, “It’s such a striking juxtaposition of the most famous woman in the world and this remote dangerous, desperately conflict setting. Angola was really at the sharp end of the stick of the global crisis at that moment in 1997. The imagery of that visit itself was just so compelling. Every American put that image in their head even if they’re not that interested in foreign affairs.”

Harry’s first bombshell interview of the year? Duke will ‘discuss personal stories and challenges’

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Prince Harry is to discuss ‘personal stories and challenges’ in his first appearance of the year at a virtual summit in February, as he continues to earn his keep away from royal life.

The Duke of Sussex, 38, who is currently living in his $14 million mansion in California with Meghan Markle, 40, having stepped back from royal duty, will attend a virtual event on February 3 for BetterUp.

Announcing the news on Twitter, the couple’s journalist friend Omid Scobie wrote: ‘In his role as Chief Impact Officer at @BetterUp , Prince Harry will join CEO @Arobichaux for a virtual event on Feb 3 to discuss their “bold commitment” to the company’s new #InnerWork initiative.

‘Expect to hear the duke talking about personal stories, challenges, and successes.’

While Harry receives a salary from BetterUp, the firm has not disclosed how much he is paid or if he owns shares or stock options.

The announcement may spark speculation Prince Harry will kick off the year with more bombshell revelations. The Duke gave a series of explosive interviews in 2021, in which he revealed an astonishing rift with his father as well as accusing an unnamed Royal Family member of racism.

Prince Harry, 38, is set to appear at a virtual summit in his position at startup company BetterUp in February in his first appearance of the year

Announcing the news on Twitter, the couple’s journalist friend Omid Scobie said royal fans could expect to hear the duke talking about personal stories, challenges, and successes’

In a separate tweet on its official social media, BetterUp described its #InnerWork initiative as ‘a mindful, conscious effort to organize the inner you’.

The tweet continued: ‘It’s engaging in activities that recharge, reinspire, and reignite your sense of purpose. It’s the work dedicated to ordering your mind.’

Following several TV appearances, including the Winfrey Interview and his talking heads in The Me You Can’t See for Apple TV, this interview may offer another glimpse into his private life.

The royal family are already bracing for Harry’s memoirs, which are due to be released later this year.

Last year the Duke gave a series of bombshell interviews, in which he revealed an astonishing rift with his father as well as accusing an unnamed Royal Family member of racism

Harry promised to give an ‘accurate and wholly truthful’ account of his life, writing as ’the man he has become.’

Home life during the break-up of the Prince and Princess of Wales’s marriage, the period of Diana’s death and its aftermath, Harry’s relationship with Camilla and past girlfriends are likely to form part of the book, which will be eagerly anticipated by readers.

Meanwhile Harry and Meghan’s interview with Oprah last March sent shock waves around the world as the couple laid bare the extent of their rift with the Firm.

BetterUp: The Silicon Valley start-up that has hired Prince Harry BetterUp describes itself as company that ‘combines coaching with dynamic and personalised digital experiences to accelerate members’ long-term professional development and drive personal growth’. It sells executive coaching and therapy services to individuals and large companies, and employs clinical therapists and ’executive coaches’ on contract to provide those services. One blue chip company that recently employed their services was charged $2,000 for six months of unlimited coaching for each employee. Those who sign up for their app can receive one-to-one video therapy or coaching through the app. It was founded by two USC graduates Alexi Robichaux and Eduardo Medina. Mr Robinchaux grew up in Dallas, Texas, and has described growing up with his father a biblical linguist who translates from Greek, Aramaic and Hebrew. His mother is an immigrant from Greece who was an executive assistant at Texas Instruments. In high school he started a non-profit called Youth Leadership for America. Mr Medina is also a USC graduate who worked at management consultant companies Altamont Capital Partners and Bain & Company before starting BetterUp. Advertisement

They accused an unnamed Royal Family member of racism, suggesting the relative had asked ‘how dark’ their son would be; said they had been driven out of Britain, in part, by racism; and accused the Palace machinery of failing to support a ‘suicidal’ Meghan.

Harry revealed an astonishing rift with his father, saying his family had cut him off financially while suggesting the Queen had been badly advised and had cancelled a meeting scheduled at Sandringham.

Meghan also accused her sister-in-law Kate of making her cry; suggested senior royals plotted to ensure Archie would never have a title or adequate security; and said officials had failed to stand up for the couple against ‘racist’ commentary, while lying to protect other royals.

Meanwhile the Duke also appeared on Dax Shepard’s ‘Armchair Expert’ podcast in which he compared his life as a mixture of The Truman Show - when Jim Carrey’s character discovers his life is a TV show - and being an animal at the zoo.

When asked if he felt ‘in a cage’ while in royal duties, he said: ‘It’s the job right? Grin and bear it. Get on with it. I was in my early twenties and I was thinking I don’t want this job, I don’t want to be here.

‘I don’t want to be doing this. Look what it did to my mum, how am I ever going to settle down and have a wife and family when I know it’s going to happen again’.

He added: ‘I’ve seen behind the curtain, I’ve seen the business model and seen how this whole thing works and I don’t want to be part of this’, before revealing he had therapy after meeting Meghan, which ‘burst’ a bubble and he decided to ‘stop complaining’.

The last time Prince Harry gave an interview from his position at BetterUp, he was slammed on social media as ‘privileged’ and a hypocrite after advising people to leave their jobs in favor of bolstering their mental health.

In December, Harry discussed his role as ‘chief impact officer’ with California-based mental health start-up BetterUp.

Harry said that the world was at the ‘beginning of the mental health awakening’ and spoke about ‘continuing to pioneer the conversation’.

Social media users on Twitter were quick to criticize the ‘woke’ prince, who is sixth in line to the British throne. The couple have a $25 million Spotify deal and a $150 million contract Netflix.

‘Prince Harry says that we should all leave R jobs if we aren’t happy. What about hospital porters hotel workers, women & men just grateful they have work. #princeharry UR so out of touch with real everyday working class people. U have become a figure of laughter and embarrassment,’ @ducchessfake007 tweeted.

‘So multi millionaire Prince Harry who has never held down a proper job in his life and has never had to worry about paying bills says quitting jobs brings joy and it’s actually good for ‘self awareness. Couldn’t make it up, please someone, anyone, make it stop!,’ @helen_spirit1 tweeted.

Harry had previously held a 10-year career with the British Army where he began as a recruit in 2005 at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. He was reportedly paid around $45,000 for his contribution.

BetterUp is based at these offices at San Francisco in California. The value of the start up has topped £3billion after securing new funding from some of Silicon Valley’s biggest players

BetterUp offers companies coaching regimes for their employees on topics ranging from mental fitness to nutrition and parenting. Its app costs around $240 per month for each user.

Customers include Google, the Hilton hotel chain and movie studio Warner Bros. The company recently announced plans to open a London office and hire 75 staff.

Harry’s comments come two months after it emerged that the value of BetterUp has topped $4 billion after securing new funding from some of Silicon Valley’s biggest players.

In October, BetterUp, which took on the Duke as ‘chief impact officer’ in March, raised $291 million from investors - valuing the company at around $4.5 billion.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Wished Kate Middleton a Happy 40th Birthday Over a “Private” Video Call, Expert Says

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Kate Middleton celebrated her 40th birthday on Jan. 9, but kept things on the down-low. Speaking to royal expert Christopher Andersen, Us Weekly’s Christina Garibaldi asked the question on all of our lips: Did Meghan Markle and Prince Harry talk to the Duchess of Cambridge on her big day?

Things have reportedly been pretty frosty between the Sussexes and Cambridges in recent months, although royal expert Angela Levin previously told Marie Claire that Middleton has acted like something of a bridge between her husband and his U.S.-based brother. And according to Andersen, it sounds like they all lay down their arms on Jan. 9 and hopped onto Zoom, or Teams, or Google Chat, or another of those infernal, era-defining pieces of software.

“From what I understand, they did a video call,” Andersen said. “They wished her a happy birthday, very private, but Harry and Meghan were not about to post anything the way they did two years ago when Kate turned 38. Both Harry and Meghan made a very public display of their affection for Kate, wishing her a happy birthday. This time, they kept private.” Probably a sound decision.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

As for how the Cambridges actually celebrated the occasion, it was “a small family affair,” Andersen explained. “The birthday party was held at Anmer Hall with family and friends. She only has a very small circle of friends, Kate does, and one of the interesting things they do is bake their own cake, which is the holdover from Carole Middleton’s, uh, you know, Carole Middleton has built this empire basically on throwing children’s birthday parties, and then turned it into a big online empire.” The duchess’ mom founded online shop Party Pieces.

The pandemic was one reason for not making a huge deal out of Middleton’s 40th, but it wasn’t the only reason. “But you know, very, very low-key, and the reason for that is there will be big bashes this year, celebrating the joint birthday of… William turns, in June, turns 40 as well,” Andersen continued. “The Queen has a big plan for him, and he is going to throw something as well, so there will be big parties. Again, if COVID allows anything like that.”

Expert Says He ‘Feels Sorry’ for Prince Harry Because the Duke’s Life Is ‘a Million Miles From What He Wanted’

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Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, stunned royal fans when they announced that they were stepping down as senior royals. The couple then decided to move to America for a more private life. However, since arriving in the U.S. they have remained in the spotlight.

Now, an expert is weighing in on the subject and claiming that Harry’s life is “a million miles from what he wanted” and why he “feels sorry” for the Duke of Sussex.

Prince Harry looking down as he and Meghan Markle attend a reception in South Africa | Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Prince Harry spoke about leaving royal life before he met Meghan

Prince Harry was born into a world of privilege as the son of a future king. But he has previously expressed his desire to leave all that behind for a private life away from the royal spotlight.

In 2017, journalist Angela Levin spoke to Harry in a candid interview about his partying ways when he was in his 20s, his time in the military, and wanting out of The Firm. As the Daily Mail noted, the prince told her that some of the happiest times of his life were when he was in the military because he was treated like everyone else.

“I wasn’t a prince, I was just Harry,” he said.

Harry also confessed that he had considered quitting royal life back then. “I felt I wanted out [of the royal family],” he revealed. “But then decided to stay and work out a role for myself.”

Expert says Harry is like ‘a rabbit in the headlights’ now and he ‘feels really sorry for him’

Prince Harry onstage during Global Citizen VAX LIVE in California | Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Global Citizen VAX LIVE

With Meghan, the duke did leave royal life behind and moved to America. However, since arriving in Southern California Harry has been anything but private. He’s done televised interviews and podcasts discussing feuds with family members. He’s also been in front of the cameras for a spot on a late night talk show as well as events and galas in New York and Los Angeles.

Public relations expert Richard Hillgrove, who’s had several high-profile clients like Amber Heard and Rose McGowan, offered his assessment of Harry being so saturated in the media now and claims it’s not what he wants.

“Unfortunately, Harry’s just like a rabbit in the headlights and caught up in it,” Hillgrove told Express and opined that “[Harry] doesn’t look like a happy person at all. He looks jaded.”

The PR consultant continued: “But then he’s morphed into this creation in America, where’s he’s on the top of a bus, singing with James Corden. It’s a million miles from what he professed that he wanted — he said he wanted a private life. He thinks this system in America has got his best interests and everyone [in the U.K.] has got it in for him.”

Hillgrove added: “The thing is he has gone so far now. There seems to be a lot of envy and jealousy, of being the brother that’s not in first line and all that type of stuff. He’s got a sense of importance and power, but when the puppet masters in America that are managing the Harry and Meghan show realize they can’t get much more out of them they will be off, and he’ll be on the sidelines. I feel really sorry for Harry.”

The duke’s new book won’t help repair his relationship with the royal family

Prince Harry standing outside chapel ahead of Prince Philip’s funeral | Victoria Jones – WPA Pool/Getty Images

Next up for Prince Harry is a book. The upcoming memoir has already been causing a headache for Britain’s most famous family as they are bracing themselves for whatever revelations Harry is planning to divulge.

Upon the announcement that he was releasing his memoir, the duke said: “I’m writing this not as the prince I was born but as the man I have become. I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to share what I’ve learned over the course of my life so far and excited for people to read a firsthand account of my life that’s accurate and wholly truthful.”

RELATED: Prince William Initially Refused to Attend the Unveiling of Princess Diana’s Statue With Prince Harry, According to Report

Prince Harry Could Delay the Release of His Memoir After Prince Charles Extended an “Olive Branch” in ‘Newsweek’ Essay, Expert Says

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By many accounts, Prince Harry hasn’t been on the best terms with his U.K.-based family members since he and Meghan Markle traded royal life for sunny California. His relationship with Prince Charles seems to have suffered significantly from the move, and from the Sussexes’ decision to give Oprah Winfrey an exclusive interview in March 2021.

However, after the Prince of Wales made the meaningful choice to mention his youngest son in his recent essay on climate change for Newsweek, the father-son relationship could be on its way to some amount of repair—at least that’s what royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams believes.

“The fact that Charles has done this in Newsweek, which has a large circulation in America, I think it’s clearly a form of an olive branch in the hope that there will be a form of reconciliation,” Fitzwilliams tells The Sun.

“I think if you offer an olive branch it’s only reasonable to expect something in return,” the expert explains, adding that Prince Harry delaying the release of his memoir might represent a fair exchange in this instance. “I would have thought that some form of postponement of the autobiography would be considered.

“Otherwise everything that is said to Meghan and Harry when they come over for the Platinum Jubilee—which I’m sure they will—could conceivably find its way into the book.”

The royals have been reportedly pretty damn nervous (“quaking in their boots,” as one expert put it) about Prince Harry’s impending memoir, which is widely expected to be critical of Prince Charles especially. The book’s release date, currently set for late 2022, has also been seen as “disrespectful” because of its proximity to the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, which will celebrate her 70 years of reign.

“The Royal family need to know the pressure is being taken off them when it comes to this autobiography,” Fitzwilliams continues. “This is a way of handling it.”