The Duke of Sussex met with a young woman who 26 years ago had an emotional meeting with Princess Diana.
Prince Harry, on one of his visits to Huambo, experienced a deeply moving moment upon discovering the shocking legacy of his mother, Princess Diana. During his tour, Harry had the opportunity to meet Sandra Thijika, a woman who had established an unforgettable bond with Lady Di almost three decades ago.
In 1997, when Diana visited Huambo, Sandra was a girl who had lost one of her legs due to an accident in a minefield. The Princess of Wales, moved by her situation, accompanied Sandra during the process of changing her prosthesis, generating a moment of great tenderness and empathy that would remain engraved in both of their memories.
Now, in 2024, Harry had the opportunity to relive that meeting by meeting with Sandra herself, who shared with him the details of that meeting with her mother. "I think I met Princess Diana on a Tuesday, she came to the workshop and wanted to see how a prosthesis change was done. At that time I was very small and they began to measure my knee so they could see how the prosthesis fit," Sandra recalled, visibly moved. Critical Voices Report.
The woman, now 42, recounted how Princess Diana was moved when she saw the process, even shedding tears. "Princess Diana was watching this process and she started crying when she saw me being measured for a new prosthesis," the young woman confessed to Diana's youngest son. Later, Sandra and Diana shared a moment of connection next to a fig tree, where the princess accompanied her and gave her affection.
This moment, immortalized in a photograph, was a clear reflection of Lady Di's deep commitment to humanitarian causes and her sensitivity towards the most vulnerable people. For the Duke of Sussex, reliving this story was undoubtedly an emotionally charged moment and a reminder of the legacy of his mother, whose kindness and empathy continue to inspire those who knew her.
At the end of the meeting, the prince thanked Sandra for sharing this little-known story and expressed her best wishes for her and her family. The Duke's visit to Huambo thus became a trip to the past, an opportunity to honor the legacy of Diana of Wales and strengthen ties between royalty and the most needy communities.
