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On April 2, 2026, newly released footage has emerged, highlighting Diana, Princess of Wales, during a significant humanitarian mission to Angola, just months before her tragic passing.
The recently shared clips provide an intimate look at Diana’s thoughts and actions while she was in Angola in January 1997, advocating for a worldwide ban on landmines. At the age of 36, she embarked on this mission, which attracted substantial political scrutiny back in the UK, particularly from critics of her perceived political stance. ITV News aired these rare behind-the-scenes moments, which include interactions with journalists like Steve Scott, who was reporting from Africa for the network at the time.
Diana, Princess of Wales has featured in newly broadcast behind-the-scenes footage from a controversial humanitarian trip to Angola months before her death
During this impactful visit, Diana bravely navigated an active minefield equipped with protective gear and connected with landmine survivors, including children who had suffered limb amputations.
This trip stands out as a pivotal moment in her humanitarian work, despite igniting controversy for its apparent alignment with the Labour Party’s agenda, which faced opposition from the Conservative government of that era.
The trip became one of the defining humanitarian moments of her public life, even as it sparked debate due to perceived alignment with Labour Party policy at the time, which the then Conservative government criticised.
Steve Scott said: “I stood with her on the plane. It was a long conversation. She wanted to talk about her boys and about how much she missed them when she goes away.
“Despite the fact that this campaign was very important to her and that she was going to continue working on it, her priority was her boys and that’s where she would be, focusing most of her energy going forward.”
He added: “Once it had sunk in, I just found it very, very sad. A woman who could have made a big difference was now no longer with us. The woman I spoke to about her sons and how important they were to her, suddenly those boys did not have that mother who was going to guide them through life.
“Who knows how their relationship might have developed had she still been around?”
In the archive clip, Diana addressed the controversy surrounding the visit, saying: “I saw it merely as a distraction as I’m not a political figure, I’m a humanitarian figure.”
The footage forms part of ITV News’ Reporting History series, available across ITVX and other platforms.
Diana’s work on the Angola trip contributed to global awareness of landmine dangers, with efforts since resulting in the removal of an estimated 100,000 landmines from the country.
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, 41, later revisited the site of Diana’s walk in 2019 and continues to support landmine clearance efforts as a patron of the Halo Trust.
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