Photo: Getty Images. Princess Dianna sitting with amputees, victims of landmines, Angola, 1997. Dianna as many will remember ignited opposition to the use of landmines which resulted in the Ottawa Mine Ban Treaty and drew attention to the work of the Halo Trust whose work is clearing mines and advocacy against mines and weapons of war. She had that inner beauty, photos of her shaking hands with lepers, sitting with HIV sufferers, visiting homeless shelters and os on. I’m not a monarchist, but her work was of a different order.
“I’d read the statistics that Angola has the highest percentage of amputees anywhere in the world … that one person in every 333 had lost a limb, most of them through land mine explosions. But that hadn’t prepared me for the reality.” Dianna Spencer
Beautiful Advocate
So beautiful, those legs, her …
And such a mind, but O her heart,
her beauty drew the cameras,
merely a stage for the inner beauty
of her compassion for the world.
©Paul Vincent Cannon
Paul, pvcann.com
Lovely.
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Many thanks.
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You’re welcome!
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I worked on a government project that was inspired by Princess Diana. Besides being against land mines, she also spoke out against cluster bombs, which is a shell that contains about 250 individual bombs inside of it. Many of the bombs did not explode on impact like they were supposed to do and children would find them on the ground and pick them up and loose their limbs. I worked on a special battery that went inside this self destruct fuse to ensure that every bomb which did not explode on impact, went off a few seconds later. She was a very courageous lady.
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Yes, I remember the public outcry over clusters, macabre. What a job, positive within a negative. Yes, I think she was brave on many levels, she stood amongst giants. Thank you so much for sharing.
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Diana was so amazing. I wish there were more like her. I have high hopes for the newest royals, and admire their desire to change things, even while being so taunted.
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Yes, she showed a different way, and her children are her legacy in that regard, thank you for sharing.
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It takes courage and a sense of hope to enter that world, especially with children.
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It sure does, she really used her power and position well.
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She always appeared so comfortable in situations which would make others squirm….because that’s when she could be herself.
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Yes, I think that was her greatest strength.
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An admirable one, indeed.
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Yes
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She was a beautiful person inside outside.
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Absolutely Megha.
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Good use of the prompt! ❤
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Thank you very much Deborah.
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Wonderful words, Paul.
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Thank you for that.
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She really did set an example for the world. Such a loss.
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A great loss, yes, a great example that has encouraged so many.
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A fitting tribute to Dianna and her legacy.
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Many thanks Liz.
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Thank you for this post, Paul.
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Thank you Amy. 🙂
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Beautiful tribute to a caring and gentle soul.
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Yes, she had a strength about her.
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thank you for remembering a good soul and good work, your poem was exquisite to me
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Beautiful … both the picture and the poem.
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I’m not a royalist, but I certainly admired her, she stood above the rest (I’ll stop there otherwise there will be a long rant on privilege etc. etc.)
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Same here … she had genuine compassion.
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She really was an inspiration. I’ve an idea that Harry, will be forging a similar path, now freed (at least to some extent) from ‘The Firm’.
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Yes, I feel that too, I think he’s very like his mother.
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A beautiful tribute to a beautiful woman. She accomplished a lot in her few years. Thank you for sharing.
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My pleasure Patricia, yes she really was.
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Reblogged this on The Reluctant Poet.
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Many Thanks Charles
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Always a pleasure!!
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Wonderful written! I apologize for the late revisit. Best wishes, Michael
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No need to apologise Michael, always glad when you can make – life gets busy. Thank you for your kind words.
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:-)) Thank you, Paul!
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😉
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A most beautiful individual with a beautiful soul. Lovely poem
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Yes, she really was, and her legacy lingers, thank you for that lovely thought.
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