NEED TO KNOW
Prince Harry is in Angola for a landmine walk with The HALO Trust, following in the footsteps of his late mother, Princess Diana.
On July 15, the Duke of Sussex, 40, arrived in Angola solo for the unannounced outing. However, Meghan Markle didn’t join him for the surprise trip, reportedly due to security concerns.
A source told the Daily Mail, which was first to report the news, “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.”
The outlet added that Prince Harry hopes his trip will drive donations from the government of the African country.
“Usually, these trips help to drive a bit more money from the government,” a source said.
Craig Barritt/Getty
Prince Harry traveled without his wife after telling the BBC in a bombshell interview in May that he “can’t see a world” in which he would bring Meghan and their children, Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4, to the U.K. without the key security he says was unfairly stripped when he and Meghan stepped back from their royal roles in 2020. The Duke of Sussex gave the interview after losing a legal appeal against the government’s decision.
Princess Diana drew global attention to the need for an international landmine ban when she walked through an active minefield in Huambo, Angola, in January 1997, stepping out in partnership with the HALO Trust.
The issue was of great importance to the late Princess of Wales during what proved to be the final year of her life. Princess Diana died in August 1997 at age 36 following a car accident in Paris, and her son Prince Harry has carried her torch by supporting the HALO Trust, a humanitarian organization working to create a mine-free world.
During a royal tour of Africa in 2019, the Duke of Sussex honored his late mother’s legacy by retracing her steps through the same minefield in Angola. In September 2024, he spoke about continuing his mother’s mission at a HALO Trust event in New York City.
“As you know, The HALO Trust’s work in Angola meant a great deal to my mother. Carrying on her legacy is a responsibility that I take incredibly seriously,” the Duke of Sussex said then.
PA Wire/PA Images (2)
Harry arrived in Angola after a private meeting was held in London between two of his top aides and a senior member of King Charles’ team last week.
Can’t get enough of PEOPLE’s Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!
Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty; Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty
The informal talks were interpreted as the strongest sign yet that the Duke of Sussex and his father the King may be moving towards reconciliation amid a yearslong rift, in which the communication between the father and son has been all but nonexistent.
“It was a good first step,” an insider tells PEOPLE. “It is always better to be talking.”
