It came as something of a surprise when Diana, Princess of Wales, made a trip to Angola in 1997, to support the Red Cross's campaign for a total ban on all anti-personnel landmines. Within hours of arriving in Angola, television screens around the world were filled with images of her comforting victims injured in explosions caused by landmines. "I knew the statistics,"she said. "But putting a face to those figures brought the reality home to me; like when I met Sandra, a 13- year-old girl who had lost her leg, and people like her. " 

The Princess concluded with a simple message. "We must stop landmines." And she used every opportunity during her visit to repeat this message. 

But, back in London, her views were not shared by some members of the British government, which refused to support a ban on these weapons. Angry politicians launched an attack on the Princess in the press. They described her as very "ill-informed"and " a loose cannon ." 

The Princess responded by brushing aside the criticisms," This is a distraction we do not need. All I'm trying to do is help." 

Opposition parties, the media and the public immediately voiced their support for the Princess. To make matters worse for the government, it soon emerged that the Princess's trip had been approved by the Foreign Office, and that she was in fact very well-informed about both the situation in Angola and the British government's policy regarding landmines. The result was a severe embarrassment for the government. 

To try and limit the damage, the Foreign Secretary, Malcolm Rifkidnd, claimed that the Princess's views on landmines were not very different from government policy, and that it was working towards a worldwide ban. The Defence Secretary, Michael Portillo, claimed the matter was a misinterpretation or misunderstanding. 

For the Princess, the trip to this war-torn country was an excellent opportunity to use her popularity to show the world how much destruction and suffering landmines can cause. She said that the experience had also given her the chance to get closer to people and their problems.
What device was causing injury to people?
who was trying to shed light on this issue?
What other organization was a part of this effort?
what country did she go to?
in what year?
was this trip a secret and kept out of the press?
what was filling the tv screens?
what was her concise message?
did it seem like her home political body support her trip?
of what were they unsupportive?
what weapon did they compare her too?
did she allow this to concern her?
did her government know about this trip before she took it?
did anyone give their approval for her to take the trip?
who?
did this cause a few red faces?
who tried to mitigate the damages?
what is his title?
did they seem to have a more compatible opinion with her now?
landmines
a total ban on all anti-personnel landmines
Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales, made a trip to Angola in 1997, to support the Red Cross's campaign for a total ban on all anti-personnel landmines.
Red Cross
 to support the Red Cross's campaign
Angola
 Within hours of arriving in Angola
1997
Princess of Wales, made a trip to Angola in 1997,
no
, television screens around the world were filled with images of her comforting victims injured in explosions caused by landmines
images of her comforting victims
 television screens around the world were filled with images of her comforting victims 
We must stop landmines.
Princess concluded with a simple message. "We must stop landmines."
not by some
But, back in London, her views were not shared by some members of the British government
they refused to support a ban on these weapons
 refused to support a ban on these weapons
a loose cannon
They described her as very "ill-informed"and " a loose cannon ." 
no
The Princess responded by brushing aside the criticisms,
It came as a surprise
It came as something of a surprise when Diana, Princess of Wales, made a trip to Angola in 1997,
yes
To make matters worse for the government, it soon emerged that the Princess's trip had been approved by the Foreign Office,
by the Foreign Office
been approved by the Foreign Office
yes
The result was a severe embarrassment for the government. 
Malcolm Rifkidnd,
To try and limit the damage, the Foreign Secretary, Malcolm Rifkidnd,
the Foreign Secretary
the Foreign Secretary, Malcolm Rifkidnd,
yes
claimed that the Princess's views on landmines were not very different from government policy,