Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Are Reportedly Taking a Royal Tour in Africa
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry may be traveling to a few countries in Africa for a royal tour later this year, ITV reports. The trip is expected to revolve around charities that matter deeply to Harry and include a nod to his late mother, Princess Diana. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have not yet publicly confirmed their travel plans, and dates of the visit haven’t been revealed yet, but here’s what we know about the upcoming tour so far.
Countries in the agenda include Malawi, Angola, and South Africa.
In Malawi, Harry and Meghan are expected to help expand the reach of his charity Sentebale, which supports vulnerable children affected by the HIV epidemic in the country, as well as in Botswana and Lesotho.
In Angola, they’ll focus on the ongoing issue with landmines. They’re also expected to visit South Africa, though it’s currently unknown what they’ll do there.
The dates are still unconfirmed.
ITV simply reported that the trip would take place “later this year,” but royal correspondent Roya Nikkah of The Sunday Times previously reported that the visit is planned for October. Meanwhile, the Daily Mirror said the trip would be an “autumn tour.”
Harry will continue his mother’s work.
The Duke of Sussex’s landmine work in Angola will reflect some of Princess Diana’s service in the country, ITV reports. Months before her death in 1997, she was photographed walking through a landmine-filled area in full protective gear to raise awareness on the issue and highlight the work done by The HALO Trust.
Prince Harry made a similar trip with the organization in Mozambique in 2010. Per ITV, the Duke of Sussex will attend a conference in London about landmine removal in Angola next week.
It’s still unclear if Archie will come along.
ITV reports that “no decision has been made yet” on whether Meghan and Harry will travel with their son, who is still one month old at the time of writing. If the trip does take place in the fall, he’d be about six months old by then.
However, Nikkah previously reported that the Sussexes were planning to bring Archie to Africa. If he does tag along, he could be one of the youngest royals to go on an official tour. It’s also possible that he and Meghan would only come for part of the trip, a source told Nikkah.
Archie’s cousin, Prince George, went on his first royal tour to New Zealand in April 2014 when he was nine months old.
Harry and Meghan have visited Africa before.
The Duke of Sussex has visited the continent several times for service work, but he first brought Meghan there just weeks after their first date. “It was three, maybe four weeks later that I managed to persuade her to come join me in Botswana, and we camped out with each other under the stars,” Harry said in their engagement interview. “She came and joined me for five days out there, which was absolutely fantastic.”
The duo reportedly returned to Botswana for a trip in August 2017. Considering the importance of the location to them, Harry proposed to Meghan with an engagement ring that featured a center diamond from the African country.
The Sussexes’ last royal tour was in October 2018.
For 16 days, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex toured Australia, New Zealand, Tonga, and Fiji. The busy schedule included 14 flights and 76 engagements. The couple even announced they were expecting a child at the beginning of the trip.
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