Meghan Markle Opts Out of Africa Trip as Harry Recreates Mom Diana’s Iconic Photo
Prince Harry is carrying forward his mother’s legacy as he continues to support her most cherished charities. A cause particularly close to Princess Diana was The Halo Trust, which removes mines from former war zones to make the areas safer for locals. While Harry recreated his mother’s most iconic photo from her walk in the minefields in 1997, he was not joined by his wife, Meghan Markle. Safety concerns have been dubbed the reason why the Duchess of Sussex stayed behind at home.
The Duke of Sussex traveled to Angola on July 15 to support the charity with which he has been involved for years. However, it was the fact that he made the trip to the African country without Markle that attracted the attention of royal watchers. A source told the Daily Mail that it was Harry's decision for Markle not to travel with him. They said, “The Duke won’t let his wife go to England over security concerns, so there was no chance he’d allow her to go to Angola to walk across landmines.”
Safety concerns have troubled the Sussexes ever since they were stripped of taxpayer-funded security in the UK, having stepped down as working royals. Opposing the decision, Harry appealed in court but lost the legal battle. In his bombshell BBC interview afterward, he revealed that he does not see a world in which he could bring his wife and kids to the UK. It appears that the Duke also did not consider it safe for her to travel to Angola. However, it is important to note that Harry had previously also embarked on solo trips to Africa.
Coming back to Diana's efforts with the charity, the Princess is credited with bringing global attention to the trust’s efforts. In 1997, shortly before her death, the late Princess visited Angola and highlighted the charity’s work with communities living near minefields. According to Hello! magazine, she told the journalists at that time, “There couldn't be a more appropriate place to begin this campaign than Angola because this nation has the highest number of amputees per population than anywhere in the world.” Diana sent out a powerful message by walking on the minefield, and 28 years later, Harry recreated the moment by doing the same.
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To reach the minefields in the African country, Harry took a long journey in three different planes. Back in 2019, he officially came on board as Halo’s patron and got the Angolan government to pledge a huge amount for the creation of wildlife corridors and protection of endangered species. Moreover, the charity aimed to remove all landmines by 2025. According to the trust’s Instagram handle, Harry also delivered a speech during the visit, saying, “Children should never have to live in fear of playing outside or walking to school. The Angolan government’s continued commitment is a powerful testament to HALO's success in saving lives. We thank President Lourenço for his leadership and partnership.” The Halo Trust is very close to making Angola a mine-free country, and the Prince’s efforts have helped immensely.