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Harry continues his mother Princess Diana's work as he praises landmark clearance charity

DIRICO, ANGOLA - SEPTEMBER 27: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex walks through a minefield during a visit to see the work of landmine clearance charity the Halo Trust, on day five of the royal tour of Africa on September 27, 2019 in Dirico, Angola. This is part of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's royal tour to South Africa. (Photo by Pool/Samir Hussein/WireImage)
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex walks through a minefield in Angola, echoing his mother's visit. (WireImage)

Prince Harry has maintained a royal link to a cause close to his mother’s heart as he praised a landmark clearance charity for working throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

Harry, 37, wrote to the Halo Trust, telling them they were keeping the “light of our common humanity”going.

Diana, Princess of Wales, was a supporter of the charity and made a famous visit to partially cleared Angolan minefield in 1997 to highlight their work.

Harry, Diana’s youngest son, retraced her steps in 2019, making an emotional pilgrimage to the minefield his mother toured in the city of Huambo. It’s now been transformed into a wide residential road, complete with a school.

Harry wrote in his letter: “In these trying times, hope comes from the light of our common humanity. Nowhere is that light burning brighter than at the Halo Trust.

“As countries closed their borders, lockdowns came into force and international travel became harder, many might have chosen to suspend operations. Instead, Halo kept open a presence in all 25 of its country operations.”

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HUAMBO, ANGOLA - JANUARY 15:  Diana, Princess Of Wales, Walking Through A Cleared Area Of A  Mined Area Being Cleared By The Charity Halo Trust In Huambo, Angola, Wearing Protective Body Armour And A Visor.  (Photo by Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)
Diana, Princess of Wales, walking through the landmine area in Huambo in 1997. (Getty Images)

Harry also praised the charity for responding to the pandemic and changing and adapting some of its work.

Halo has been providing ambulances and logistics to medical authorities in Zimbabwe, Somalia, Libya, Afghanistan and Guinea-Bissau.

In Syria and Burma, the charity has been providing hygiene kits, personal protection equipment and health education to camps for families displaced by conflict.

Harry added: “The fact that you can operate across conflict affected countries like Afghanistan is also a precious resource in the face of a disease that recognises no frontlines.

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HUAMBO, ANGOLA - JANUARY 15:  Diana, Princess Of Wales, Visiting A Mined Area In Huambo, Angola, Currently Being Cleared By The Charity Halo Trust  (Photo by Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)
Diana was a supporter of Halo Trust and her work has been carried on by Prince Harry. (Getty Images)

“It is at times like this that the work and efforts of people like you – prepared to do whatever it takes to help, serve and protect others – shines through. In sometimes hazardous and dangerous situations, your commitment to your communities and people who need your help is remarkable.

“I am hugely proud to be able to support such an extraordinary organisation.”

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CAHORA BASSA, MOZAMBIQUE - JUNE 21: In this handout image provided by The HALO Trust, Prince Harry is seen with a deminer from The HALO Trust, a British charity dedicated to removal of landmines, on June 21, 2010 in Cahora Bassa, Mozambique. Prince Harry is following in his late mother's footsteps, Princess Diana, who visited the same charity in Angola eight months before her death. Prince Harry spent two days with the charity learning the first stages of landmine clearance and detonated mines himself under supervision from deminers. (Handout Photo by The HALO Trust/Getty Images)
Prince Harry with the Halo Trust in Cahora Bassa, Mozambique in 2010. (Getty Images)

The letter was shared by the Halo Trust on its website.

James Cowan, Halo’s chief executive officer said: “It is very thoughtful of the Duke to write to HALO staff in this way. Not many people realise we do more than landmine clearance. In responding to Covid we have the skills and equipment to respond. And above all we can operate in some very dangerous places with the trust of the local people.”

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan are in lockdown in Los Angeles, where they have chosen to start the next chapter of their lives outside the senior royal roles they had carried out together.

They are living with their son Archie as they plan their next steps, which will include a non-profit organisation called Archewell.