Prince Harry's 'realisation' about Montecito life with Meghan Markle after Angola trip
Prince Harry visited Angola this week to raise awareness about landmines
Prince Harry’s unexpected solo journey to Angola this week has shed light not only on his commitment to humanitarian work but also on how he’s quietly redefining his purpose outside royal protocol and in his relationship.
The Duke of Sussex, 40, travelled alone to the African country as a patron of The Halo Trust. It’s a landmine clearance charity closely associated with his late mother, Princess Diana.
While his wife, Meghan Markle, 43, remained in California with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, Harry retraced his late mother’s footsteps.
The duke visited minefields, met survivors, and advocated for global awareness of a still-urgent issue. His trip was kept under wraps until he touched down.
Prince Harry’s trip in Angola ‘connected’ him to Princess Diana
But royal observers say this visit also signals a deeper shift for Harry, away from the celebrity spotlight in the US. It seems to bring him back toward the purposeful work that once defined him.
Speaking to The Mirror, former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond shared her take.
She said: “I think this is precisely the sort of work that Harry should do. It is not only a hugely worthwhile cause, but it also connects him with his mother, which is something he yearns for.”
She added: “I think he is coming to recognise that the LA celebrity world is one in which he is not especially comfortable. And he seems quite willing to let Meghan take the limelight over there.”
Since stepping down as senior royals in 2020, Harry and Meghan have made headlines with their 2022 tell-all Netflix docuseries, podcast deals, and bombshell interviews.
I think he is coming to recognise that the LA celebrity world is one in which he is not especially comfortable.
This week, Harry’s Angola visit has been met with widespread praise.
His return to frontline humanitarian work, echoing Diana’s iconic 1997 visit to the same minefields, strikes a chord with those who remember his royal roots.
During her trip, Princess Diana famously donned body armour to walk across an active minefield in Huambo.
‘Harry is continuing her work’
“I was with Diana in Angola all those years ago,” Jennie recalled. “The impact she made by walking across a minefield was enormous. She told me that she was simply trying to be a humanitarian. That is something Harry can also aspire to.”
Jennie also recalled that Princess Diana formed a bond with a young girl named Sandra during her visit to Angola in 1997.
Sandra, just 13 at the time, was undergoing the painful process of being fitted with yet another prosthetic limb after losing her leg to a landmine. Years later, Prince Harry met Sandra himself during one of his visits to Angola.
Despite the global attention Diana brought to the issue, landmines continue to pose a serious threat in the region.
Jennie said she thinks it’s “brilliant” that Harry is “continuing her work and keeping her memory alive”.
Harry’s statement on landmines after Angola trip
Harry himself echoed those sentiments on this recent trip.
“Children should never have to live in fear of playing outside or walking to school,” he said in a heartfelt message. “Here in Angola, over three decades later, the remnants of war still threaten lives every day.”
According to The Halo Trust, at least 60,000 people have been killed or injured by landmines in Angola since 2008. The charity has since cleared over 120,000 landmines and 100,000 bombs from the country.
This week, The Halo Trust praised Harry’s renewed engagement.
A statement read: “This renewed commitment builds on previous support from the Angolan government, which was first highlighted when the duke visited the country in 2019 to retrace the path of his late mother. That visit showcased how once-dangerous land could be transformed into a safe and thriving community.”
As Harry walks this path alone, his Angola visit serves as both a tribute to Diana and a reflection of his own search for purpose. A purpose seemingly far removed from the glitz of Montecito.
Read more: Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s hilarious duck problem at Oprah Winfrey’s house explained
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