Harry remembers mum on a special engagement

Prince Harry has spent the morning a hospital supporting HIV patients that his mother, Diana, visited many times. Harry met staff and patients at the Mildmay UK Hospital in east London and talked about his mother during his time there.

Harry remembers mum on a day in east London

(photo Kensington Palace Instagram)

Harry's visit marked the official opening of a new site for the centre which was established in 1988 and was the UK's first hospice for people with HIV related conditions. As treatment of HIV improves, the focus of the centre has moved from end of life care to ongoing support for people with HIV related illnesses.

HRH's visit today celebrates 150 years of @MildmayUKDir & marks the official opening of their new facilities pic.twitter.com/RkALX0EHCZ

— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) December 14, 2015

Harry was given a warm welcome on his arrival at the hospital where crowds of people including school children waited in the chilly December air to catch a glimpse of the prince. Harry spent time talking to many of them and posing for mobile phone photos.  Inside Mildmay, which is in Shoreditch, the prince was given a tour of the new facilities and had the chance to chat to patients and staff. The director of Mildmay, Ross White, said he hoped Harry's visit increased awareness of HIV and AIDS.

Prince Harry chats to some of the @MildmayUKDir nurses on his tour of the hospital wards pic.twitter.com/lGKsprODlu

— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) December 14, 2015

And that determination to throw a spotlight on the condition and to reduce the stigma attached to HIV was the motivation of Diana, Princess of Wales when she began a long relationship with Mildmay in 1989. Diana visited seventeen times in both an official and private capacity and her relationship with the hospital was mentioned several times during Harry's visit.  There was also a poignant moment for the prince when he was asked to sign the visitor's book which was in the Diana, Princess of Wales meeting room. Harry took his seat beneath a black and white photograph of his mother to sign his name.

HRH signs the guestbook in the Diana, Princess of Wales meeting room, who visited @MildmayUKDir a total of 17 times pic.twitter.com/VSLyWIYUIO

— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) December 14, 2015

And he told some of those he met about remembering his mum's cuddles before laughing when told that on one of her visits, Diana had received a call to say one of her sons had climbed onto the school roof and had found it funny. It was a special day for Harry who has often said he wants to keep his mother's legacy alive. And with his visit today, he has done just that.