Prince Harry from Hello!
In a rare interview, the late Princess Diana's son
Prince Harry has given an intimate look at the depth of his involvement with the young Aids sufferers he befriended while on his charity visit to southern Africa.
The Forgotten Kingdom – Prince Harry In Lesotho shows the young prince during his recent two-month stay, where he got a personal look at the devastation Aids has wreaked on the region. He candidly speaks about his desire to help the situation, and how he hopes to carry on the torch of Diana's charitable legacy.
"I've always wanted to do this," he says, adding: "I believe I've got a lot of my mother in me, basically, and I just think she'd want us to do this."
In images that mirror Diana's work, Harry is shown helping to build shelters and cradling young AIDS patients. He was particularly moved by Mutsu, a four-year-old Aids orphan, and the plight of an eight-month-old rape victim, who was "completely emotionless" as he held her in his arms. "It was horrible," says the Prince, who has since visited the little girl to check on her progress. "If I can, I would like to try to support her in her growing up, her education and everything."
Harry admits he was affected by press criticism – some newspapers branded the Lesotho trip as a PR move – but vowed to continue his quest, saying he's "not out here for the sympathy vote". "I've always been like this," he says. "This is my side that no one gets to see. I'm not going to take a camera crew everywhere I go with me when I'm trying to help in different countries."
The royal also struck out at those who continue to shed negative light on his mother's life. "It's just a shame that, after all the good she's done, even this far on, people can't bring out the good in her," he says, later remarking: "I don't want to take over from her because I never will. I don't think anyone can. But I want to try and carry it on to make her proud."
