Princess Diana is most famously recognised for her contribution to two of her main charities: the HIV /AIDS project and land mines, focusing particularly on the injuries they create long after the conflict in which they are planted for has ended (Diana exhibition, 2001). Even though it was believed that the disease AIDS was contagious through casual physical contact, Princess Diana shocked the world when she was photographed touching and holding hands with AIDS and HIV patients, being one of the first high-profile people to be photographed touching HIV and AIDS victims. She often spoke lovingly about the patients she visited and encouraged that the mindset that the patients were dangerous and contagious be abolished. Princess Diana is known for exclaiming: “HIV doesn't not make people dangerous to know, so you can shake their hands and give them a hug, Heaven knows they need it.” (Princess Diana of Wales, n.d). This event and her loving mindset caused people to re-assess their judgment of patients who suffered from those diseases. At the Diana, Princess of Wales Lecture on AIDS, Bill Clinton (2001) said “In 1987, when so many still believed that AIDS could be contracted through casual contact, Princess Diana sat on the sickbed of a man with AIDS and held his hand. If the Princess of Wales could hold the hand of a man with AIDS, who could claim to be above it?” (Posted by CharityWork, 2015).
The other charity that Princess Diana supported publicly was the struggle with Landmines, particularly in overseas countries. The princess was pictured touring minefields in helmet and flack jacket. The controversial photos gained Diana both criticism and praise from society and officials such as government officials and army officers (Delp, 2015). Whilst overseas, Princess Diana pushed for landmine laws to be changed, and a worldwide ban on any anti-personal landmines. These two charities that Princess Diana worked tirelessly for are only two of many, many other charities she put her hand up for, and many other causes her heart went out to.