Prince Harry marks 'historic milestone' with powerful tribute to Princess Diana

Prince Harry has honored Princess Diana's legacy in tackling the HIV and AIDS epidemic in a new powerful letter. 

• Prince Harry has praised Princess Diana for her 'legacy' in the fight against HIV and AIDS, hailing her 'empathy' and ability to find 'humanity in all around her' in a powerful new letter. 
• The Duke of Sussex has been a longtime campaigner for greater awareness of HIV and AIDS, advocating for innovations in life-saving testing and treatment for the virus since 2016.
• In other royal news, Queen Camilla’s engagement ring’s mysterious history and past as a royal push present revealed.
  

Prince Harry has praised Princess Diana's work in the fight against HIV and AIDS in a new letter, hailing his later mother for leading with "empathy" and "finding humanity in all around her." 

The Duke of Sussex's message was shared on Monday to mark the 40th anniversary of the Terrence Higgins Trust, the UK's leading HIV and sexual health charity. 

Princess Diana was known for her compassion towards people with HIV and AIDS and for fighting the stigma attached to the disease, visiting hospitals to meet patients with the virus and speaking at events to raise awareness about it throughout the 1980s and 1990s. She would on to become Patron of the National AIDS Trust in light of her ongoing support for the cause. 

Her youngest son, Harry, has also been a longtime champion of the issue. 

"I've been involved with Terrence Higgins Trust for a number of years, and the fight to end this epidemic is a big piece of my mum's legacy," the 38-year-old wrote.

"Like many, my mother grew up in a world where HIV was likely a death sentence. Yet, in the midst of all that uncertainty, she led with empathy, finding the humanity in all around her and demonstrating the power of connection in the face of fear.

"While my mother did not live to see the success of today's treatments, I feel immense pride in being able to continue her advocacy with you."

In 1991, Diana delivered a famous speech in which she debunked many of the myths
surrounding HIV and AIDS. 

"HIV does not make people dangerous to know," she said. "You can shake their hands and give them a hug. Heaven knows they need it. What’s more, you can share their homes, their workplaces, and their playgrounds and toys." 

"Princess Diana was a true champion of HIV awareness," Ian Green, former chief executive of the HIV charity the Terrence Higgins Trust said in 1997.

"She brought passion to the cause, and did things which were truly remarkable. She was the first person of profile who was prepared to shake hands and touch people with HIV, which at the time was seen as a risk. This statement publicly challenged the notion that HIV was passed from person to person by touch."