In just two weeks’ time the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, along with four-month-old Archie, will be embarking on their four-country tour of southern Africa and while the first announcement was made back in June, the couple’s full itinerary has only just been revealed.
In a post to the @sussexroyal Instagram, they couple reveal their 10-day trip to South Africa, Angola, Botswana and Malawi, which gets underway on September 23rd, will focus on community, grassroots leadership, women’s and girls’ rights, mental health, HIV/AIDS and the environment.
They also reveal the programme, which includes 35 engagements, has been “many months in the making”, with both Meghan and Harry eager to focus their energies on the great work being done in Southern Africa.
Prince Harry will be making brief visits to Malawi, Botswana and Angola where he will be launching a new initiative to protect forest and wildlife corridors and continuing in his mother Princess Diana’s legacy by joining Halo Trust in Angola, who are working to rid the world of landmines.
Meanwhile Duchess Meghan will be based in South Africa for the entirety of the trip where she will be working with local organisations to promote women and girls’ health and education, entrepreneurship and leadership.
“With such a textured culture and history, Their Royal Highnesses are grateful for the opportunity to connect with those on the ground in Southern Africa and to be inspired by the work being done and learn how they can be better supported,” @sussexroyal write on Instagram.
“As President and Vice President of the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust and The Duke’s role as Commonwealth Youth Ambassador, The Duke and Duchess cannot wait to meet with young leaders mobilising change and adding to the beauty of these Commonwealth countries.”
So will we be seeing a glimpse of Archie? According to a palace source who spoke to Hello!, yes!
However, it’s not yet known at which engagements this might happen.
“The couple hope to include Archie at some point in the program but it’s difficult to schedule,” the source tells Hello!.
“He’s five months old. But they hope to.”
Another source revealed the programme was designed to allow the couple to be with Archie at key times in his routine such as bathtime and bedtime.
Archie will stay in South Africa with Meghan throughout the trip with a nanny, while Harry travels solo to the aforementioned neighbouring countries.
In a previous Instagram post Harry wrote: “On a personal note, I can’t wait to introduce my wife and son to South Africa!
“We’ll see all of you very soon.”
While Archie is set to make an appearance during the royal tour, it’s not yet confirmed which engagement we’ll be able to get another glimpse of the four-month-old. (Image: Chris Allerton, via Getty)
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s royal tour itinerary
Monday 23rd September
As reported by Hello!, Harry and Meghan will begin their tour in a township in Cape Town, South Africa where they will visit a workshop which teaches children about their rights, self-awareness and safety and which also provides self-defence classes female empowerment training to young girls in the community. The couple will then visit District Six Museum before joining a community cooking activity at the nearby Homecoming Centre.
Tuesday 24th September
Harry and Meghan will travel to Monswabisi Beach to learn about NGO Waves for Change, before seeing the work The Lunchbox Fund are undertaking – which was also one of the four charities the couple suggested people to donate to in lieu of baby shower presents – they’ll then meet with Dr Thomas Maes, who launched the Commonwealth Litter Programme at the London Commonwealth Summit last year.
Prince Harry is then set to travel by boat to Seal Island with the City of Cape Town Marine Unit before Meghan joins him in the afternoon to visit the Bo Kaap area to mark Heritage Day. The couple will also pay a visit to Auwal mosque, the oldest mosque in the country to have tea with local residents. Their final engagement for the day with be attending a reception at the British High Commissioner’s Residence.
Wednesday 25th September
The royal couple will meet with Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Mrs Tutu at their legacy foundation, before they split for solo engagements. Harry will travel to Botswana while Meghan will stay in South Africa and visit the Woodstock Exchange to meet female entrepreneurs and investors working in technology.
On September 22nd it was announced the Duchess will also visit mothers2mothers, a charity that trains and employs women living with HIV as frontline health workers.
The trip marks Meghan and Archie’s first visit to South Africa, however Meghan has travelled to other African countries including Botswana (where this picture of her and Harry were taken) and Morocco, earlier this year. (Image: Instagram/@sussexroyal)
Thursday 26th September
Harry’s first engagement in Botswana will see him travelling to Chobe Forest Tree Reserve, where he will pay a visit to a local project run by his own charity, Sentebale, which he co-founded with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho. He will then travel to Chobe National Park where he will dedicate an area of forest to the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy.
Harry will then travel to Angola where he will spend the evening at a HALO Trust de-mining camp, while Meghan, in South Africa, will take part in a private ‘Women in Public Service’ breakfast at the High Commission in Cape Town.
Friday 27th September
Harry will visit a working de-mining field outside Dirico, Angola before unveiling the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy project. He will then travel to Huambo where he will be met by the Governor of Huambo, Joana Lina, who also officially hosted his late mother when she visited, and Harry will visit the location where his mother was famously photographed. Huambo Orthopaedic Centre will also be visited by Harry, where he will unveil its new name, in honour of Princess Diana, and be given a tour of its facilities. In the evening he will attend a reception at the British Ambassador’s Residence in Luanda.
Saturday 28th September
Harry will have an audience with President Lourenco at the Presidential Palace in Angola and visit the Maternity Hospital Lucrecia Paim. He will then make his way to Malawi.
Harry is set to visit the same place his mother visited in 1997, where this famous photograph was taken. Now free from landmines, the area is now a bustling street with houses, shops and schools. (Image: Getty)
Sunday 29th September
In Malawi Harry will visit Nalikule College of Education in Lilongwe before he attends an audience with President Peter Mutharika. In the evening he’ll attend a reception hosted by the British High Commissioner.
Monday 30th September
On Monday Harry will fly to Liwonde National Park where he will pay tribute at the memorial site for Guardsman Mathew Talbot, a Coldstream Guard who lost his life earlier this year on a joint anti-poaching patrol with local park rangers. Harry will also receive a briefing of operations at the headquarters and witness and anti-poaching demonstration exercise.
Tuesday 1st October
Harry will travel to Mauwa Health Centre, Pharmacy in a Box and Youth Reproductive Health Outreach programme in the morning before departing Malawi for South Africa. Meanwhile in Johannesburg Meghan will attend a roundtable discussion with the Association of Commonwealth Universities before visiting a school to learn about the work of a local charity which receives UK Aid funding for its work to raise awareness of and tackle sexual violence in schools.
Wednesday 2nd October
On the final day of their tour Harry and Meghan will visit a township near Johannesburg where they will meet with Mrs Graça Machel, widow of the late former President Mandela.
