Diana's influence at Harry's 18th

Prince Harry said he wants to continue the work his mother "didn't quite finish"

LONDON, England -- Prince Harry has spoken of the influence his mother has had on him as he celebrates his 18th birthday.

In an official interview to mark his birthday, on Sunday, Harry said Diana, Princess of Wales, had "more guts than anybody" and had inspired him to carve a role for himself.

"The way she got close to people and went for the sort of charities and organisations that everybody else was scared to go near, such as land mines in the Third World.

"She got involved in things that nobody had done before, AIDS, for example," he told the Press Association.

"She had more guts than anybody else. I want to carry on the things that she didn't quite finish. I have always wanted to, but was too young."

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He added: "Father is very happy about my plans and has encouraged me to take an interest in my mother's work."

He used Princess Diana's family crest for inspiration in the design for his birthday coat of arms.

And proceeds from the sale of photos taken to mark his birthday will go to a little-known charity working in the world's crisis zones.

The Merlin charity founded in 1993, works in more than 30 countries providing healthcare to people in crisis situations where the local infrastructure has broken down

It is likely to make a six-figure sum from the decision by the prince to make a charge every time one of the pictures is used.

Last year Merlin raised £650,000 and most of its £8 million turnover is funded by official grants.

Harry said: "I wanted to help a small organisation. Merlin is like that and not well known, and that's why I chose it."

The prince incorporated into his crest the red escallop feature from his mother's family coat of arms.

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Harry's emblem also features a lion and a unicorn either side of a shield topped by a crown.

Prince William received a similar present from the queen on his 18th birthday.

Peter Gwynn-Jones, who as Garter King of Arms is responsible to the Queen for Royal heraldry, said: "Unlike his elder brother who will one day see his Arms alter to reflect his changing responsibilities, Prince Harry will always keep the escallop shells from his mother's Spencer family Arms and, in time, may pass them on to his children."

The official photos were taken by Mario Testino, who was one of his mother's favourite photographers.

Testino, 47, has also snapped Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow, Liz Hurley and Kate Moss and Prince Charles.