Royal Tour – Simply Meghan Markle

Photos & Roundup: October 02 – Royal Visit South Africa – Day 10

FROM SUSSEX ROYAL: In Tembisa, Johannesburg, today The Duke and Duchess visited to meet young entrepreneurs at the YES hub – a hive for creativity and social enterprise. Their visit was an amazing tour of the ingenuity and opportunity – seeing businesses that varied from food to essential sanitary products for local women.

During their visit, they were able to sample food from ‘Chef Mish’ – a local masterchef winner – which he makes at the site as part of his catering business and cafe. They then joined YES community members to take part in training and tests that will help them gain skills and find work.

On the third stop today, entrepreneur Moss showed The Duke and Duchess the organic produce he’s growing in the township with aquaponics – supplying local restaurants.

And finally, The Duke and Duchess met the women behind the amazing Blossom Care Solutions – who are making 80,000 sanitary pads every month for women in their community. They are 100% compostable, and provide an essential low-cost product for women and girls.

The Duchess has long campaigned on this issue and wrote in Time magazine in 2017, saying: “In communities all over the globe, young girls’ potential is being squandered because we are too shy to talk about the most natural thing in the world. To that I say: we need to push the conversation, mobilize policy making surrounding menstrual health initiatives, support organizations who foster girls’ education from the ground up, and within our own homes, we need to rise above our puritanical bashfulness when it comes to talking about menstruation.”

FROM SUSSEX ROYAL: Today as they near the end of #RoyalVisitSouthAfrica The Duke and Duchess have been able to spend time with Graça Machel – the politician, humanitarian, and international advocate for women’s and children’s rights.

Their Royal Highnesses were delighted to be able to meet Graça and her family, and talk about their shared passion for their work on equality and human rights.

Graça, who was married to former South African President and anti-apartheid campaigner Nelson Mandela, was made an honorary British Dame by Her Majesty The Queen for her contributions and services to human rights protection.

Appearances & Engagements Photos > South Africa Tour > October 02 |South Africa Tour – Day 10 – Set 1
Appearances & Engagements Photos > South Africa Tour > October 02 | South Africa Tour – Day 10 – Set 2

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Photos & Roundup: October 01 – Royal Visit South Africa – Day 9

On the final leg of The Duke and Duchesses tour of South Africa, The Duchess of Sussex travelled to Johannesburg for a number of education themed engagements.

UNIVERSITY OF JOHANNESBURG: Meghan’s first stop was to the University of Johannesburg in her role as Patron of The Association of Commonwealth Universities. The Association of Commonwealth Universities is the world’s first international university network, and is the only accredited organisation representing higher education across the Commonwealth. The ACU manages international scholarship schemes, including The Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships, and convenes universities to address key policy challenges such as gender and equity, climate resilience, and peace and reconciliation.

During her visit The Duchess of Sussex attended a round-table discussion at the University joining students and educators who openly discussed challenges for girls gaining access to university. Meghan also revealed three new gender grants for the University of Johannesburg, Stellenbosch University and the University of Western Cape. Of which the grant for Stellenbosch will fund a ‘unique campus walking route’ designed to make both men and women feel safer at university. Duchess Meghan also revealed four new Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships for students from Tanzania, Zambia and Nigeria.

ACTIONAID: Next, The Duchess of Sussex visited a local school in Johannesburg to meet with representatives from ActionAid to discuss a range of issues including gender based and sexual violence in schools. Prince Charles is currently the Patron of ActionAid, a charity that is working to achieve social justice and gender equality, and working to eradicate poverty. Focusing specifically on women right’s which is a thread throughout their work. One of the projects Action Aid works with is the Teddy Bear Clinic, which provides essential support to children and families affected by domestic and sexual abuse. After the meeting with representatives The Duchess traveled privately to meet young girls who are being supported by ActionAid and The Teddy Bear Clinic.

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Appearances & Engagements Photos > South Africa Tour > October 01 | South Africa Tour – Day 9 – Set 2

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Harry & Meghan: An African Journey

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Photos & Roundup: September 30 – Royal Visit South Africa – Day 8

On September 30, 2019 The Duchess of Sussex made a unannounced visit to Johannesburg’s Victoria Yards, a place for artisans and craftspeople to work and share their creations.

Meghan visited several organizations and small businesses including Sneakers 4 Change, an organization that collects and donates sneakers to those who are less fortunate and Young Bucks, a small business that makes books from recycled materials. During the stop, Meghan revealed that she used to teach a bookbinding class. At Sobae Frozen, a small business inspired by a desire to reduce food waste, The Duchess sampled flavors of vegan sherbet made from unused fruit from Victoria Yards.

The Duchess met Tshepo Jeanmaker, a local designer from Soweto who makes custom jeans,he revealed that he received a call from the British Embassy last month requesting he create a pair of jeans for Meghan. He also created a pair of overalls for Archie and was quite surprised that The Duchess picked them up herself.

Meghan also toured Delaney Studio with Contemporary artist James Delaney who works in paint, sculpture, charcoal and print from his studio at Victoria Yards. The Duchess also chatted with several craftsmen and artisans.

At the end of her visit, The Duchess was moved by the original poetry of Belita Andre, the winner of the Poetry Grandslam. In her reading she said: “The Maker’s Valley is a social and enterprise hub, a wave between my corner of the world and yours. Insisting that beyond the anchors of survival. How to make sure that everyone gets to shore, pass around an ocean of stars, not because our sleepless nights are equal but because our dreams are.”

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Photos & Roundup: September 26 – Royal Visit South Africa – Day 4

On September 26, 2019 The Duchess of Sussex made a private visit to the memorial site of Uyinene Mrwetyana, a 19-year-old student who was brutally tortureed, raped and murdered outside of a post office in an act of gender based violence that has been an issue and cause of protest throughout the streets of South Africa.

According to the Sussex Royal Instagram Account Harry and Meghan had been closely following what had happened and were both eager to learn more when they arrived in South Africa. The Duchess even spoke to the mother of Uyinene this week to relay their condolences.

During her visit to the memorial site, Meghan tied a yellow ribbon among the others with “Simi kunye kulesisimo: We stand together in this moment” written in Xhosa. This trip was incredibly important to the Duchess as she wanted to recognize Uyinene, and all women and girls effected by Gender Based Violence (specifically in South Africa, but also throughout the world).

Sussex Royal also revealed that Meghan has taken on a number of private visits and meetings over the last two days to deepen her understanding of the current situation and continue to advocate for the rights of women and girls.

On Thursday morning, The Duchess also attended a private breakfast for “Women In Public Service” at the High Commission in Cape Town. The invited guests have played a role in the development of South Africa’s institutions, and continue to advocate for women’s rights, education and healthcare. No photos from this event have been released yet and at the time reporters said we would hear more about it “later this week”.

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Photos & Roundup: September 25 – Royal Visit South Africa – Day 3

ARCH MEETS ARCHIE: Day 3 of the Royal Tour had an exciting start as The Duke and Duchess of Sussex introduced their son five month old son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor to Archbishop Desmond Tutu and his daughter, Thandeka Tutu-Gxashe. The Archbishop is a globally respected figure in the anti-apartheid movement, a champion of equality, and has spent his life battling injustice. Their Royal Highnesses joined The Archbishop and Thandeka at their Tutu and Leah Legacy Foundation in Capetown to learn more about the work of the foundation, which which contributes to the development of youth and leadership, facilitates discussions about social justice and common human purposes. Prince Harry previously met Archbishop Tutu during his 2015 tour of South Africa, when he presented him with an honor in recognition of his services to U.K. communities and international peace. Niclas Kjellstromn-Matseke, chairman of the Desmond and Leah Legacy Foundation said of the meeting: “Archbishop Tutu met the Queen and had a great relationship with her and here is her grandson,” he says. “This is a generational thing. This is a hand over from the elderly to the younger.”

During their visit the couple were given a tour of the foundation where displays marking the anti-apartheid clergyman’s life and work are held, and were presented with a large amount of gifts including framed photographs of Harry’s mom Diana meeting late President Nelson Mandela in 1997, (he even gave an extra for Harry to give to Prince William), children’s books written by the Archbishop (Children of God Storybook Bible and Desmond and the Mean Word), a children’s songbook). a book containing the work of anti-apartheid poet Patricia Schonstein and the Book of Joy, signed by the Archbishop and the Dalai Lama, and matching beaded bracelets handmade by members of Ikamva Labantu, which works in Cape Town focusing on early childhood development, after-school initiatives and the well-being of elder people.

WOMEN & BABIES: Since Meghan’s engagement to Prince Harry she has made it clear the her focus would be on supporting women’s education, health, entrepreneurship and leadership and this engagement clearly puts a spotlight on that. In her first solo engagement of this tour while Prince Harry travels to Botswana, The Duchess visited The Woodstock Exchange for a ‘Ladies who Launch’ event where she met female entrepreneurs and investors working in technology. Meghan joined a panel discussing a number of topics including their businesses, struggles and triumphs, women supporting women, and motherhood. As Meghan departed she shared a special moment with a group of individuals who she gave a group hug to and a young girl who cried upon meeting Meghan.

In her second solo engagement Duchess Meghan visited Mothers2Mothers, an organization that trains and employs women living with HIV as community health workers. These “Mentor Mothers” work in local communities and at understaffed health facilities to ensure that women and their families get the health advice and medication they need, are linked to the right clinical services, and are supported on their treatment journey. The employment enables Mentor Mothers to gain financial security for themselves and their families. By virtue of being professionalised, Mentor Mothers become role models, putting a face to empowered, strong, and healthy HIV-positive women, and thereby helping to reduce HIV-related stigma and discrimination.

During her visit The Duchess met with staff, clients, mothers and their children to hear about their work and how they have been supported. Following her “community not charity” motto The Duchess of Sussex donated two large bags of Archie’s clothing that he has outgrown as well as clothing donations from her friends who have children and coloring books, and pencils. Meghan said: “It’s so important we’re able to share what’s worked for our family and know that we’re all in this together with each other. So we wanted to share something from our home to each of yours.”

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Photos & Roundup: September 24 – Royal Visit South Africa – Day 2

MONWABISI BEACH: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex traveled to Monwabisi Beach to learn about Waves For Change. Also known as, The Isiqalo Foundation, Waves For Change is a non profit organization that uses surfing as therapy for young adults in communities affected by violence, poverty and conflict, where mental health services are often stigmatized and under-resourced. Working in partnership with local community members they identify, train and resource mentors, who they work with to open programmes that service the youth of their own home communities.

Upon their arrival Harry and Meghan met founding director Tim Conibear and mentors of the organization before joining coaches and mentors in a mindfulness session, an activity which is designed to build confidence and resilience. which includes warm up dancing and clapping, a “power hand” activity, and meditation. Meghan revealed parenting is a new strength that she and Harry are learning and developing. Saying “He’s the best dad.” and he said “She’s the best mum.”.

LUNCHBOX FUND: The couple also met staff from the Lunchbox Fund, which helps vulnerable children in the country get an education by providing 30,000 nutritious school meals daily to schools and Waves For Change programmes across South African townships and rural areas. The Lunchbox Fund was one of four charities chosen by Harry and Meghan to benefit from the generous donations made by the public on the the birth of their son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. Meghan chatted intently about some of the meals on offer, saying: “You need this after a long day.” The couple also talked to Dr Thomas Maes, Director of the Commonwealth Litter Programme (CLiP) about the impact of micro plastics in the ocean and looked through a microscope at some of his samples.

AUWAL MOSQUE: In the afternoon, The Duke and Duchess traveled to Bo Kaap, a area in Capetown. The couple first visted Auwal Mosque, the oldest mosque in South Africa. Harry and Meghan were greeted by mam Sheikh Ismail Londt and Muslim community leader, Mohamed Groenwald. The couple spent time speaking with students and representatives of various faiths to discuss the strength of interfaith dialogue in Cape Town. The couple also viewed the country’s first known manuscript which was created by Tuan Guru purely from memory during his imprisonment on Robben Island.

HERITAGE DAY: Afterwards, The Duke and Duchess greeted the eager crowds waiting to catch a glimpse of them as they walked the streets observing the Heritage Day celebrations. Heritage Day, is a public holiday celebrating the great diversity, belief and traditions that make up the rainbow nation of South Africa. To end the festivities Harry and Meghan visited the home of local resident Shamiela Sanodien for dessert and tea.

YOUNG LEADERS: Harry and Meghan concludeD their packed day with a reception at the British High Commissioner’s Residence where they met young leaders and inspiring opinion-formers underpinning the rich and diverse nature of the UK’s partnership with Africa.

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Appearances & Engagement Photos > Engagements in 2019 > South Africa Tour > September 23 | South Africa Tour – Day 2 – Set 2
Appearances & Engagement Photos > Engagements in 2019 > South Africa Tour > September 23 | South Africa Tour – Day 2 – Set 2
Appearances & Engagement Photos > Engagements in 2019 > South Africa Tour > September 23 | South Africa Tour – Day 2 – Set 3

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Photos & Roundup: September 23 – Royal Visit South Africa – Day 1

NYANGA TOWNSHIP: The first stop on the tour was to the township of Nyanga, whose name means ‘moon’ in the local dialect of Xhosa, it is one of the oldest black townships in Cape Town and was established in 1946 as a result of the migrant labor system. At present time unemployment is above 50 per cent and HIV/Aids is a community issue. The community also has the highest murder rate in the country and tops the lists for car jackings and house robberies. Last year there were a reported 308 murders.

In this town The Duke and Duchess visited the Justice Desk initiative, which teaches children about their rights, self-awareness and safety, and provides self-defense classes and female empowerment training to young girls in the community. The Justice Desk is supported by The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust, of which Harry serves as President and Meghan as Vice-President. While there the Duke and Duchess met Jessica Dewhurst, Justice Desk Founder and Queen’s Young Leader, Theodora Luthuli, Justice Desk Community Leader, and Sylvia Hobe, Theodora’s mother and the center’s founder. Harry and Meghan observed the Mbokodo project which provides self-defense classes and female empowerment workshops to young girls who are overcoming major traumas. This project’s powerful motto is “wathint’ abafazi wathint’ imbokodo” which means “you strike a woman; you strike a rock” before getting the chance to talk with the girls.

Following the tour of the center, Harry and Meghan both made fantastic speeches which you can view here. Meghan said in part: “While I am here with my husband as a member of the Royal Family, I am here with you as a mother, as a wife, as a woman, as a woman of color, and as your sister. I am here with you and I am here for you.” The couple were then presented with a South African Xhosa name for their son Archie, “Ntsika” which means pillar of strength which was given to him by the township’s godmothers, referred to as Gogo’s. In a fun spontaneous moment at the end of the engagement Meghan joined in with the women who were dancing upon their departure. I’m sure this moment will be a favorite of many today.

DISTRICT SIX MUSEUM: In their second engagement of the day The Duke and Duchess of Sussex visited the District Six Museum. District Six Museum is located in an old Methodist church in the former inner-city residential area. The District Six Foundation was founded in 1989 and the museum in 1994, as a memorial to the forced movement of 60,000 inhabitants of various races in District Six during Apartheid in South Africa in the 1970s. The Duke and Duchess toured the museum viewing the old traffic signs, exhibits of historical moments and lives of families from the area, historical declarations, exhibits about the demolition, and hand written notes of former inhabitants, which indicate where their houses were located.

After a short walkabout, Harry and Meghan went to the nearby Homecoming Centre where they joined former residents of District Six in a community cooking workshop. The Duke and Duchess were treated to food cooked by local women that showed a variety of recipes. This engagement goes hand in hand with Meghan’s work with the Hubb Kitchen back in London, which showcases the importance of how cooking can bring a community together. It was reported that Meghan did indeed gift the local women a copy of her ‘Together’ cookbook.

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Here’s What to Expect from Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s First Few Days in South Africa

With Prince Harry and Meghan due to touch down in South Africa in just a few hours time, anticipation is mounting for the Sussexes’ first tour as a family. And while there is still no word on when the public may catch its first glimpse of baby Archie, there is no doubt that he will be the star of the show when he does make an appearance.

Ahead of the royal arrival, a palace source said that the couple were “very much looking forward” to the trip, adding: “Africa holds a very special place in the duke’s heart and he’s looking forward to sharing South Africa with the duchess and their son.”

The source continued about the trip, “And obviously we have an extra special small passenger to make things a little more lively.”

The Sussexes and their entourage of 13 (with the addition of their newly appointed private secretary who is being paid for privately taking it to 14) will arrive in the country by scheduled flight on Monday, September 23, and their official program will begin later that day. In an itinerary that has been drawn up alongside officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office they will represent Britain in addition to focusing on their own areas of interest including conservation, young people, and women’s empowerment.

The British High Commissioner to South Africa Nigel Casey told journalists that “visits like this play an important part in celebrating, sustaining and renewing what is a dynamic, modern relationship between the U.K. and South Africa.” He also highlighted how the U.K. is a leading investor in South Africa and that around 430,000 Brits visit the country every year spending more than £500 million (roughly $624 million).

“It’s also an opportunity to shine a spotlight on some issues close to the hearts of the duke and duchess and of real importance to the South Africans.” he said. “It will also be a chance to underline the strength and continuity of our royal family’s ties to South Africa. And in particular to recall the warm and special relationship between her majesty the Queen and the late President Mandela.”
On their first day, the couple will visit a township in Cape Town and view a workshop that teaches children about their rights as well as providing self-defense classes and female empowerment training to young girls. Both Harry and Meghan will speak publicly there.

Later on, they will tour the District Six Museum to learn more about the forced relocation of 60,000 people during the apartheid era. They will then meet the public before visiting the nearby Homecoming Centre and joining a community cooking activity.

The first three days of the trip will see the couple carry out joint engagements in Cape Town before Harry goes to Botswana, Angola and Malawi alone, leaving Meghan and Archie in South Africa. The family will be reunited in Johannesburg for the final two days of the tour.

Notably, in Angola, Harry will make a particularly poignant visit to the location in Huambo where Princess Diana memorably raised awareness of the threat posed by landmines in 1997. He will see how the area has now been transformed into a thriving community with schools and businesses.

Source: https://www.townandcountrymag.com

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Prince Harry and Meghan to visit world’s largest rhino sanctuary in SA

The royals will travel to South Africa next week, and if their schedule permits, they will visit Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary.

Prince Harry, who is an ambassador for the organisation, is passionate about saving the rhino.

Known as the largest rhino orphanage and sanctuary in the world, Care for Wild forms part of the 28 000 hectare Barberton Nature Reserve, the newest Unesco World Heritage Site in South Africa.

The organisation, founded by Petronel Nieuwoudt in 2001 in the Limpopo province, aims to provide care and rehabilitation to white and black rhinos. The centre was moved to Barberton in Mpumalanga in 2011 where she and Mark Cherry established the Care For Wild programme.

Dean Cherry of Nhongo Safaris, a company that hosts rhino experiences at the sanctuary, said Harry is set to visit the sanctuary with Meghan and their baby Archie during their visit.

“Prince Harry and his family will be visiting the sanctuary. He is very passionate about the cause, and we cannot wait to share the gripping rhino stories with the royal family,” he said.

Cherry did not reveal the exact date the royal family will visit and there was no mention of the visit on their official schedule released earlier this month.

Harry last visit to the sanctuary was in 2017.

Travellers have the opportunity to learn more about the sanctuary through a day experience hosted by Nhongo Safaris.

But, do not expect to touch these rhinos. Cherry said that there is no petting or physical interaction with the animal.

“The organisation believes in the rescue, rehabilitate and release premise. Many of these rhinos have been through significant trauma. Some youngsters, seen as threats by poachers, are beaten by pangas and other harmful objects that leave them injured.

“Due to the trauma, we try to ensure little human interaction. We feed them through the boma wall. We want these rhinos to heal from their trauma and to start a new life after their release without any fear.

“The rhinos are monitored, and the anti-poaching unit does regular patrols on horseback and specialised vehicles. Some rhinos decide to stay together in small groups while others form a herd,” he said.

Cherry said the experience was purely educational. Nhongo Safaris has built an 8 sleeper lodge where guests spend the night. Included in the itinerary is rhino safaris, where a guide will explain the different types of rhino and their current plight, and an early morning patrol with the anti-poaching unit.

Source: https://www.iol.co.za

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In South Africa, Meghan Markle Will Turn Her Attention to Women’s Empowerment

Meghan Markle was just 11 years old when she was so struck by sexist language in a TV commercial for dishwashing soap that she decided to campaign to have it changed. Despite being a schoolgirl with no public profile or connections, she was successful, and so began a lifetime commitment to standing up for gender equality and women’s rights.

It is no surprise, then, that these issues feature highly on the agenda for the Duchess of Sussex throughout the itinerary of her trip to South Africa, which begins later this month.

“Through her Patronages, the Duchess will be working with organisations to promote women’s education, health, entrepreneurship and leadership,” the Sussexes’ private secretary Samantha Cohen said as she announced details of the 10-day visit. She continued, sharing that the duchess is “particularly looking forward” to learning from “inspirational women in the region.”

The focus on women and girls begins right at the start of the visit in Cape Town on Monday September 23. Harry and Meghan will attend an event with a project that teaches children about their rights and provides self-defense classes and female empowerment training to young girls. Two days later, Meghan will make a solo visit to the Woodstock Exchange area, where she will meet with female entrepreneurs and investors working in technology. “Her Royal Highness will highlight the benefits of networking between aspiring female entrepreneurs and successful female role models,” Cohen said.

While Harry is in Angola, Meghan will remain in Cape Town and take part in a “Women in Public Service” breakfast at the High Commission. She will speak with women who have played a key role in the development of South Africa’s Parliament, government, education and healthcare systems, and those who advocate for gender equality. A few days later, in Johannesburg, the duchess will meet with academics and students, and discuss the challenges faced by young women in accessing higher education. After that, she will visit a school to see the work of a charity which receives U.K. aid funding for its mission to raise awareness of and tackle sexual violence in schools.

The issue of violence against women is particularly pertinent in South Africa right now. President Cyril Ramaphosa recently addressed the nation, saying: “Violence against women has become more than a national crisis. It is a crime against our common humanity.” And in September, people took to the streets to protest gender-based violence in protests following the rape and murder of 19-year-old university student Uyinene Mrwetyana.

In 2017, South Africa ranked 90th out of 160 countries on the United Nations Development Programme’s gender inequality inde, which measures the gender disparity within a country. The index takes into account reproductive health, parliamentary representation, attainment in education, and labor market participation.

The program for Harry and Meghan’s trip has been organized alongside the U.K.’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and the royals and their staff have worked closely with representatives in host countries to create the final itinerary.

As Samantha Cohen said, “Not only will this visit serve as an opportunity for the Duke and Duchess to highlight many of the causes they have been involved with for many years, it will demonstrate a modern UK-Africa partnership in action.”

Source: https://www.townandcountrymag.com

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Africa royal tour itinerary and dates revealed

Buckingham Palace has revealed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s royal tour itinerary for their upcoming visit to Africa this autumn. Harry and Meghan, who will be accompanied by their baby son Archie, will undertake a ten-day tour from Monday 23 September to Wednesday 2 October. They will spend the first three days in Cape Town, South Africa before Harry travels to Kasane, Botswana alone for a one-day private working visit. Scroll down for tour itinerary.

The Duke will then resume the tour, which is being carried out at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, in Angola. Harry will spend two days in Dirico, Huambo and Luanda. He will then travel to Malawi where he will be reunited with his wife Meghan and baby Archie. The couple will end their tour in Johannesburg, South Africa.

This will be Archie’s first long-haul tour abroad. The royal baby will only be four months old; in comparison, his cousin Prince George was eight months old when he joined the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Australia and New Zealand in 2014. Archie is expected to make at least a couple of official appearances on tour, but the palace has not revealed when.

A royal source told HELLO!: “The couple hope to include Archie at some point in the programme, but it’s difficult to schedule. He’s five months old. But they hope to.” Another source told HELLO! the programme had been designed to allow the couple to be with Archie at bathtime and bedtime and for other key times in his routine. Because there isn’t an official arrival, the couple will first be seen in a township in Cape Town on day one of the tour. Archie won’t be there.

Continue reading Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Africa royal tour itinerary and dates revealed

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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Announce Official Africa Tour This Fall — with Baby Archie!

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are heading to Africa — this time as a family of three!

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex confirmed on Thursday that they will carry out a royal tour in Africa this fall. In a post on their @SussexRoyal Instagram page, they also hinted that son Archie, born on May 6, will be coming along: “This will be their first official tour as a family!”

They will visit the country of South Africa, with Prince Harry also making stops in Malawi and Angola. He’ll also do a “short working visit in Botswana on route to the other countries,” according to the Instagram post.

“The Duke and Duchess are really looking forward to meeting so many of you on the ground and continuing to raise awareness of the high impact work local communities are doing across the commonwealth and beyond,” the couple wrote on Instagram.

While visiting Malawi, Harry plans to work on expanding the reach of Prince Harry’s Sentebale charity, which he co-founded in 2006 with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, to support young people affected by HIV and AIDS in Lesotho, Botswana and Malawi.

Princess Diana visited and famously walked through an active landmine area in Angola during a 1997 visit. The photo of Harry and Prince William‘s mother featured the princess wearing a visor and protective gear provided by charity the HALO Trust while walking through the mine area, becoming an iconic image and example of her passion for the cause.

Home to some of the world’s most important remaining wilderness, the presence of landmines in Angola continue to make the African country unsafe for local and animal inhabitants. During the Chatham House event, the prince will listen to the ‘Connecting Conservation, Sustainable Development and Mine Action’ panel conversation, as well as words by the Angolan Minister for the Environment, Hon Paula Coelho, before making his own remarks.

Harry first visited the Cuando Cubango region in southeast Angola with the HALO Trust in 2013. From this trip, Harry was able to witness the first-hand the impact of landmines affecting the civil war-torn areas.

Africa holds a special place in Prince Harry‘s heart, and he has visited the continent on many occasions beginning as a young boy. His Sentebale charity was founded in 2006 with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho to support young people affected by HIV and AIDS in Lesotho, Botswana and Malawi, and Harry has taken part in animal conservation work.

In addition, Meghan and Prince Harry have traveled to Africa together several times. They visited Botswana early in their relationship in the summer of 2016 and again to celebrate Meghan’s 36th birthday in 2017.

“I managed to persuade her to come and join me in Botswana. We camped out with each other under the stars. She came and joined me for five days out there, which was absolutely fantastic,” Harry said after their engagement. “So then we were really by ourselves, which was crucial to me to make sure that we had a chance to know each other.”

They shared a never-before-seen photo of their 2017 trip on their new Instagram account, which showed them assisting with conversation efforts with elephants.

Source: https://people.com/

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One Year After Their Wedding, Harry and Meghan Are Making Good on Their Promise to Modernize the Monarchy

Somehow—where does the time go?—it’s been a year since we all woke up at an ungodly hour (in the U.S.) on Saturday, May 19, to watch a British prince marry an American actress, as everyone from the Queen to Serena Williams watched on. It was fun! It is not your everyday event that draws the likes of Amal Clooney, Oprah, and Kate Middleton, many of them wearing some sort of fancy, dramatic hat.

The attention devoted to the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, now the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, has now continued into a year’s worth of near-constant media coverage. So much has happened for them in the past year that Lifetime felt it necessary to put out a second movie about their relationship, exploring what the couple has been through since the last Lifetime movie about them that came out last May.

In their 12 months as a royal couple, Meghan and Harry have forged a significantly different path from their royal relatives, and also proven how insanely, absurdly good they are at doing it. When Meghan—a biracial American with a penchant for activism and charity work—joined the family, she was hailed as a modern breath of fresh air for the British royals. One year in, she and Harry have both repeatedly made good on that promise.

Meghan wasted no time after the wedding in getting together her first full-scale passion project, in her new royal capacity, and it was one that felt wholly like her own creation. She spent time with the women at the Hubb Community Kitchen, and put out a charity cookbook in the fall that raised money for the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire. She enlisted her A-list friends to help her spread the word, and the book was immediately a bestseller. The project related to her well-established love of cooking, but also connected to a pressing fundraising need; it managed to be innovative, effective, and buzzy all at once.

It took a bit of time, but the Sussexes eventually set themselves apart on social media, as well. One of the slightly bittersweet aspects of Meghan marrying into the royal family was that she had to give up her Instagram account, as well as her lifestyle blog, The Tig, that clearly were passions of hers. But, just a few weeks before son Archie’s arrival, the palace announced that Meghan and Harry would be starting their own account, separate from the other royals. Suddenly Meghan herself seemed to be weighing in on a near-daily basis, and in the intimate-feeling sphere of social media: her American-isms and specific verbiage choices, the poems and photographs and quotes, the carefully selected imagery—it all feels like the way she would want the account to be run, even if she hasn’t formally come forward as the sole author of @sussexroyal. In just a few weeks, the Sussexes are already set to outpace the Cambridges’ @kensingtonroyal account in terms of follower count (not that it’s a competition!). Continue reading One Year After Their Wedding, Harry and Meghan Are Making Good on Their Promise to Modernize the Monarchy

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How Duchess Meghan Won Morocco’s Heart Just Weeks Before Her Due Date

Climbing into a helicopter to fly deep into Morocco’s Atlas Mountains, you would be forgiven for forgetting that Duchess Meghan is over seven months pregnant. In fact, given how busy recent months have been for the new royal, it would be tough for anyone to object if she wanted to sit out the early-morning expedition—especially after flying in from London less than 48 hours earlier.

But the February 24 trip was a chance to visit a charity championing a cause close to her heart—universal education opportunities for women—and there was no way she was going to miss it. With Prince Harry’s help, she carefully sat down in the cabin and placed noise-isolating headphones over her head. Ready for takeoff.

“Her energy is boundless,” British Ambassador to Morocco Thomas Reilly, who escorted the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on their three-day visit to the country, tells BAZAAR.com. “Here’s a woman jumping into a helicopter to fly 1,400 meters [almost 4,600 feet] high, still smiling and ready to do it all, ready to push the issues that matter.”

Adds a friend of the duchess, who notes that she’s “feeling so great” in her final trimester, “That’s ‘Super Meg’ for you—giving it her all. Her energy levels have never failed to impress me.”

From gender equality and universal education opportunities to social entrepreneurship and female empowerment, the visit’s three-day itinerary shone a spotlight on the issues most important to the duchess. Prince Harry, already established as a humanitarian force of his own, often let Meghan take the lead during their nine Moroccan engagements, leaning in to her ear periodically to see if his wife was feeling “okay” along the way. She always was.

After their helicopter dropped them off in the small town of Asni, Meghan spoke to executives from Education For All, a charity that provides education opportunities to girls from rural parts of Morocco, about the importance of universal literacy. “It’s important that every girl has access to further and higher education,” she said. Meghan, conscious of a potential language barrier, even prepared questions in a French to ask the 12- to 18-year-old students who live at the boarding house. Continue reading How Duchess Meghan Won Morocco’s Heart Just Weeks Before Her Due Date