Prince Harry has vowed to continue with his mum's legacy to end the stigma around HIV.
To mark National HIV Testing Week, Harry spoke on Tackle HIV podcast with former Welsh rugby captain Gareth Thomas, who publicly disclosed his status in 2019.
From his LA mansion, Harry encouraged Britons to know their status during the 30-minute call.
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Explaining how he feels an obligation to try and continue Princess Diana's bid to remove stigma surrounding the virus, Harry said: "I could never fill her shoes, especially in this particular space, but because of what she did and what she stood for and how vocal she was about this issue… it's a converging of all these different pieces."
Despite dying in 1997, Princess Diana's approach towards those living with HIV today is still felt today.
This April marks 35 years since the late Princess opened the first HIV specialist unit at the Middlesex Hospital in London.
While many turned a blind eye to what was happening, the Princess of Wales opened a space that would exclusively care for patients with the virus and famously noted: "HIV does not make people dangerous to know. You can shake their hands and give them a hug.
"Heaven knows they need it. What's more, you can share their homes, their workplaces, and their playgrounds and toys."
With every gloveless handshake and unprotected hug, Diana showed the world HIV couldn't be passed through day-to-day contact.
Diana acted as an official patron for the National AIDs Trust and spoke at their events.
The most famous one saw her talk about the impact HIV was having on mums and their children, which in doing so, further discredited the myth the virus was purely a problem for the gay community.
She said: "For those mothers and children already living under the shadow of AIDS, we need to help them back into the light, to reassure them and support their needs. And maybe we will learn from them how to live our own lives more fully, for however long it may be."
In the year of her tragic death, Princess Diana visited South Africa to met with Nelson Mandela. After her death, he praised Diana for her efforts surrounding the HIV epidemic.
Diana's story doesn't end there however as her HIV activism has been continued by her son, in particular the Duke of Sussex.
On the podcast, Harry added: "I wasn't around in those days when the commercials with the horrible videos existed all over television, trying to completely polarise everyone who had the virus or anyone who even talked about the virus from everyone else.
"But what my mum did and what so many other people did at that time was to smash that wall down, kick the door open and say 'no, when people are suffering then we need to learn more'
"If there is stigma that is playing such a large part of it, then what we really need to do is talk about it more and that makes people feel a little bit uncomfortable to start with but ignorance thrives on silence.
"There's always going to people, groups or other organisations who may have agendas to try and keep this out of conversation but what my mum started all those years ago created empathy, understanding but also curiosity.
"I think that's what is really powerful to be able to create curiosity of hang on we know nothing about this virus can we at least learn some more rather than be so critical and so judgmental from the beginning."
Harry and Gareth discussed how normalising HIV testing could help achieve the goal of e nding all new transmissions of HIV by 2030.
The 37-year-old once took a HIV test on television alongside Rhianna to show how easy it was and has a charity dedicated to helping the most vulnerable children at risk of HIV in South Africa.
More locally, Axess Sexual Health told the ECHO one in 20 people living with HIV in Cheshire and Merseyside are unaware and therefore are increasing the risk of health problems and passing HIV on to sexual partners.
As part of the week, free HIV test kits are being made available to the public by the NHS and anyone who is sexually active is being encouraged to take a test.
Alternatively, you can book into one of the Axess Sexual Health clinics based in Liverpool, Knowsley, Warrington, Runcorn and Cheshire East.
If you are a person living with HIV in Merseyside you can receive help from Sahir House, a charity who have been offering support, prevention, information and training since 1985.
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