The Duke of Sussex delivered a heartfelt speech on Monday afternoon during a special engagement with The HALO Trust in New York City.
This organization is dedicated to clearing landmines and other explosives left behind by conflicts, a cause closely associated with his mother, Princess Diana, who worked with them before her tragic death in 1997. She famously walked through an active landmine zone in Huambo, Angola, advocating for an international ban.
Harry, visibly moved, spoke about continuing his mother’s legacy, stating, “Carrying on her legacy is a responsibility that I take incredibly seriously.” He reflected on his visit to Angola in 2019 and expressed that Diana would be “horrified” to see that landmines still pose a threat years later.
He also shared his experiences of becoming a father for the second time, noting, “Much has changed in my life and the world since 2019 when I first visited. In those five years, I’ve become a father for the second time. While you don’t need children to care about the future of our planet, I know my mother would have been horrified that anyone’s children or grandchildren would live in a world still infested with mines.”
Harry committed to making the world landmine-free by 2025 during International Mine Awareness Day in 2017. In his speech, he said, “We’re all here because we’re a band of true believers fighting for a mine-free world.”
He later added, “We remain resolute as we work toward a future where landmines are a distant memory, allowing families and communities to thrive without fear of life-altering injuries or death, and where countries can finally declare themselves landmine-free and embrace the immense opportunities that come with it.”
Prince Harry is in New York City for a solo visit, participating in various engagements related to his and wife Meghan’s Archewell Foundation, as well as organizations like African Parks, The Diana Award, and Travalyst.
His trip coincides with the UN General Assembly High-level Week and Climate Week, while Duchess Meghan stays home with their two young children, Prince Archie, five, and Princess Lilibet, three.
