Prince Harry Says Princess Diana 'Smashed That Wall Down' When It Came To The AIDS Epidemic: She 'Created Empathy & Understanding'
Prince Harry is still thinking of his late mother, Princess Diana, and the impact that she had on society — especially when it came to the AIDS epidemic.
While speaking with rugby player Gareth Thomas, who is HIV positive, the 37-year-old touched upon how the late royal was always helping someone in need.
"What my mom did, and what so many other people did at that time, was to smash that wall down. To kick the door open and say, 'No. When people are suffering, then we need to learn more, and if there's a stigma that's playing such a large part of it, then what we really need to do is talk about it more,'" Harry said during a video call from his California home. "That kind of made people feel a little bit uncomfortable to start with. But stigma thrives on silence. We know that."
He added, "What my mom started all those years ago was creating empathy and understanding ... but also curiosity, which I think was really powerful."
The dad-of-two went on to say that he hopes that more people will get tested going forward.
"Every single one of us has a duty, or at least an opportunity, to get tested ourselves to make it easier for everybody else to get tested," he said. "It will undoubtedly save a life or, at the very least, encourage someone who is living in fear to come forward and get to know their own status, which in turn will save a life."
In December, Harry spoke about his mother's legacy on World AIDS Day.
"My mother would be deeply grateful for everything you stand for and have accomplished. We all share that gratitude, so thank you," he shared. "It is striking to now see the world's leading AIDS activists are also leading the call for COVID-19 vaccine equity. Vaccinating the world is a test of our moral character and we are experiencing a spectacular failure when it comes to global vaccine equity. Similar to the AIDS crisis, we've yet again revealed over the past year, that the value of life depends on whether you were born and/or live in a rich nation, or a developing country."
