After a summer lull that saw British royalty retreat to their country homes, the public has been anxiously awaiting the next time they’ll spot Prince Harry and Meghan Markle with their baby, Archie Harrison.
Lucky for them, it’s coming a lot sooner than previously thought, per the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s detailed itinerary of their 10-day African tour released on Friday.
In a public communications statement, the couple revealed every stop they’ll make as they visit South Africa together, after which Harry will head to Malawi, Angola and Botswana from Sept. 23 to Oct. 2.
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Their first official royal tour as a family of three promises to showcase “a modern UK-Africa partnership in action” as they highlight various causes they’re passionate about.
Of course, royal watchers will have their eyes peeled for some heartwarming nostalgia, too, as Harry visits locales his late mom, Princess Diana, held dear.
South Africa
Harry and Meghan, along with their four-month-old, will touch down for Day 1 in Cape Town.
The two will take part in a workshop meant to empower kids by teaching them their rights, self-awareness and safety. They’ll also watch a self-defence class and female empowerment training session, a cause likely very much up Duchess Meghan’s alley as a fighter for women’s rights herself.
Then they’ll head off for a tour of the District Six Museum to learn about the apartheid era, after which they’ll join a community cooking activity with former members of District Six, a residential area in Cape Town from which thousands were forcibly removed under apartheid.
The next morning, they’ll learn about the work of Waves for Change, an NGO that trains local surf mentors “to provide mental health services to young people,” at Monwabisi Beach.
Later, they’ll meet with The Lunchbox Fund, one of the charities that benefited from public donations made in the name of Archie’s birth earlier this year. They’ll also chat with Thomas Maes, who’s heading the Commonwealth Litter Programme, which funds research to tackle plastic waste.
The duke will travel by boat to Seal Island, Kalk Bay with the City of Cape Town marine unit to bring awareness to abalone poaching, one of South Africa’s most significant illegal wildlife trade concerns.
Harry and Meghan will follow their busy morning with a celebration of Heritage Day in the Bo Kaap area. They’ll visit Auwal mosque, the oldest in the country, followed by tea with local residents in their homes.
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To mark the end of Day 2, they’ll put their finest clothes to use at a reception at the British High Commissioner’s Residence, the perfect opportunity for Markle to dust off a sparkling tiara.
Harry and Meghan’s final day together will see them meet Archbishop Demond Tutu and his wife Nomalizo Leah Tutu at their legacy foundation, after which the prince will head to Botswana while his wife and child remain in South Africa.
Botswana
Harry will visit the Woodstock Exchange on Sept. 25 to meet female entrepreneurs and technology investors.
He’ll then head to Chobe Forest Tree Reserve the next morning to plant trees with school kids, followed by a visit to with Sentebale, the charity he founded in 2006 with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, which helps improve the mental health of those affected by HIV.
The new dad will stop by the Chobe National Park to dedicate an area to the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy, similar to what he also did while visiting New Zealand last October.
The area symbolically sits on the border of Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe, and hopes to help the passage of wildlife between those countries.
Angola
Fans of the Royal Family will be keen for this stop of Harry’s trip, where he’ll visit the HALO Trust, an initiative for demining and conservation. The Angolan government aims to make its country landmine free by 2025.
Meanwhile, back in South Africa, Duchess Meghan will take part in a private Women in Public Service breakfast at the High Commission in Cape Town.
That evening, Harry will help open the new HALO Trust de-mining camp.
The following morning, Harry will make an early visit to a working de-mining field outside Dirico, where he’ll remotely detonate a mine and meet with members of the community.
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The duke will then unveil a three-country Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy project he designed himself, which includes Angola’s Luengue-Luiana National Park.
He’ll then travel to Huambo, where his mom famously visited the year she died.
Many will recall when Princess Diana famously walked through mine-laden land in 1997 in an effort to bring awareness to the situation in Angola. Harry will be met by the governor of Huambo, Joana Lina, who also hosted Princess Diana during her visit.
It’s possible that Harry will, perhaps, recreate the image below to pass on the legacy of his mother and emphasize the importance of HALO’s mission:
The Duke of Sussex will proceed to the Huambo Orthopaedic Centre, where he’ll meet with the Minister for Health and unveil the centre’s new name, in honour of Princess Diana.
That evening, he’ll attend a reception at the British ambassador’s residence.
The duke will kick off Day 6, his last day in Angola, by hosting an audience with President João Lourenço at the presidential palace, followed by a visit to the maternity hospital Lucrécia Paim to see the work of a project spearheaded by Lourenço’s wife Ana Dias Lourenço, Born Free to Shine.
Malawi
The last leg of the tour marks Harry’s first official visit to Malawi, after numerous private trips to the southeastern African country.
He’ll arrive in Lilongwe, where he’ll stop by Nalikule College of Education and meet with young women who are attending school with the help of UKAid bursaries.
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The duke will then attend an audience with President Peter Mutharika, followed by a reception hosted by the British high commissioner that evening.
He’ll then fly to Liwonde National Park, where he’ll pay tribute to Guardsman Mathew Talbot of the Coldstream Guards, who died in May during an anti-poaching initiative.
Another Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy dedication will occur in Mangochi Forest and Chimaliro Forest, combining the two.
Harry’s second-last day of the tour will find him at Mauwa Health Centre to witness the workings of the Pharmacy in a Box and Youth Reproductive Health Outreach programs.
Back in South Africa, the Duchess of Sussex will attend a roundtable talk with the Association of Commonwealth Universities — one of her first royal patronages — in Johannesburg.
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She’ll then visit a school to learn about what work a local organization is doing to combat sexual violence. Their Royal Highnesses will then reconvene after Harry flies back from Malawi.
South Africa
Finally, the two will wrap up their second royal tour as a couple by visiting a township near Johannesburg where they’ll meet with inspiring local youth and entrepreneurs.
The couple will meet with Graça Machel, widow of the late former president Nelson Mandela, followed by an afternoon reception and an audience attendance with President Cyril Ramaphosa and his wife, Dr. Tshepo Motsepe before departing for London that evening.
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