The day saw the Sussexes visit Monwabisi beach where they saw the work of Waves for Change and the Lunchbox Fund in action. Before leaving, they spoke briefly with the media about the tour. The Duchess said: "I think what's so amazing about being here today is you can see there's so much good happening in the world. There's so much positivity and all this inclusivity and diversity". Harry shared his excitement: "This Africa tour was always going to be fantastic, been looking forward to Cape Town — her first visit — I love this place. And again meeting the people, the energy, the fun, again the positivity, the optimism and the hope in the face of such incredible adversity. There are young people and older people, men and women trying to change what effectively has become the norm." This afternoon, they travelled to Bo Kaap to celebrate Heritage Day, they also spent time at Auwal Mosque, the oldest mosque in the country.
The evening reception was very much focused on paying tribute to the achievements of young people. This is particularly important to the couple with Harry's role as Commonwealth Youth Ambassador. It was also planned to highlight UK-Africa relations. At a press briefing for the tour, private secretary Samantha Cohen noted: "The Duke and Duchess are pleased to raise awareness of the positive partnerships in advance of the UK-Africa Investment Summit in London 2020. The UK's trade with Africa is around £33 billion and between now and 2035, African nations will have to create 20 million jobs per year to keep pace with the rapidly growing population."
During a speech, Prince Harry said: "Yesterday was quite remarkable in Nyanga. One of the things that stood out the most, as it does in a lot of the visits that we do around the world, especially within the Commonwealth, is the power of the youth, and what the young people are able to do… to change the conversation, to be able to stand up for the things that really matter to them. The more of us that can listen to them, and help amplify that voice and give them a platform, it will not only help them, it will also help us as well."
Omid Scobie reports the couple were delighted to meet twelve-year-old Jade Bothma who started her own charity Oceano Reddentes with the mission to save the sea one piece of plastic at a time. They also met eleven-year-old Hunter Michell who brought a toy for Archie. He told the royals about his Rhino Conservation efforts.
They presented Jade and Hunter with Commonwealth Points of Light Awards for their volunteer work. Jade revealed Meghan is her role model.
Jade had a Cinderella moment when Prince Charming himself almost put her shoe back on.
Meghan chatted to Jade Bothma who makes necklaces out of recycled plastic. ‘She said it was really cool,’ says Jade #proudgirl #youngleader #makingadifference pic.twitter.com/J7KA2qtOHD— Katie Nicholl (@katienicholl) September 24, 2019
Meghan was greeted with a hug by women's rights campaigner Marlene le Roux.
More from the Mail Online:
'An anonymous guest said Meghan told of the family's flight over: 'They said it was the longest flight they have taken with Archie. She slept with one eye open - but he was very good.'
Harry was greeted with a hug from Desmond Tutu's daughter, Thandeka Tutu-Gxashe. She said he is looking forward to seeing the royal couple tomorrow and said of his health: 'He is doing Ok. He is up and down. Ms Tutu-Gxashe added: 'They were saying that they were happy to be here and looking forward to meeting my father tomorrow, and hopefully they will have some time for conversation.'
Fashion designer Gavin Rajah said Meghan spoke about guest editing Vogue: 'She said it was like having twins - it was a huge amount of work.'
Another fantastic shot from the reception by the hugely talented James Whatling.
It was another repeat for the Duchess this evening as she brought back the Martin Grant maxi dress she debuted in Australia last year.
The Pleated Stripe Long Dress features a straight sleeveless neckline and full skirt with pleated detailing.
Thanks to the hard work of the UFO No More team, it's been confirmed they are by South African jeweller Nina Bosch. Meghan wore the Flora Leaf Earrings.
More on Flora's work:
'Born and raised in a family of ceramic artists, Nina creates fine, porcelain jewellery. Drawing inspiration from geometric and organic shapes found in nature, she startedher business with the desire of finding a way tomerge surrounding together creatively.
Her creations are made from porcelain where she further incorporates a variety of different materials such as glazes, pigments, 18 karat gold lustre and sterling silver. Every piece is handmade with care, given special attention to detail while embracing natural imperfections of the hand at work.
Jewellery undergoes an intricate firing process which leads to different finished effects, andultimately individuality. Nina focusses on creating timeless, statement, wearable art jewellery pieces.'
Meghan completed the look with black pumps.
If you're just joining us, there's quite a bit to catch up on. Click here to view this morning's post covering Harry and Meghan's brief interview and engagement on Monwabisi beach (and that kiss). Meghan wore a selection of repeats including her Madewell denim jacket, J Crew Perfect shirt, Mother Denim jeans and a new Madewell bag.
Click here to read this afternoon's post covering Harry and Meghan's visit to Bo Kaap for Heritage Day. Meghan wore a headscarf, an olive green Staud dress and Sam Edelman Sally flats.
Tomorrow's schedule:
- Harry and Meghan will meet Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Mrs Tutu at their legacy foundation.
- From here, Harry and Meghan's programme will split, with Meghan remaining in South Africa whilst Harry travels to Botswana. In the afternoon, the Duchess will visit the Woodstock Exchange to meet female entrepreneurs and investors working in technology.
- Meghan will also visit Mothers2Mothers and hear about their incredible work "to create health, hope, and an HIV-free generation across the African continent".
I think it's possible we'll see Archie with Meghan for her Mothers2Mothers engagement tomorrow. Before I sign off for the evening, a number of you have asked about the absence of Meghan's engagement ring on the tour. Meghan hasn't worn it nor her eternity ring thus far, instead she's wearing a turquoise Jennifer Meyer piece. There's been no official word on any particular reason. It's been suggested Meghan is keen to keep her wardrobe as low-key as possible, although that may be mere speculation.
What were your highlights today? :)
Omg I have earrings that are very very similar to the one Meghan is wearing
ReplyDeletethere she is! This is what I've been waiting for!! - she looks great, great dress, the details are so flattering on her, love her hair down. the colors are great on her and they look great together. Cant wait to see more!
ReplyDeleteExactly, Caroline! Delightful! They look like they're enjoying themselves:) -op
Deletewow, 2 days down already....going too fast because I am enjoying this too much
ReplyDeleteI was just missing this dress on the beach and she's wearing it! Love this dress!!
ReplyDeleteWe were thinking alike. I was wishing for it too.
DeleteI just love the colors on her and she looks so good in it, especially with her remarkable posture. Whenever I see a video of her, I straighten up.
DeleteElle est sublime et recycle de surcroît.
ReplyDeleteBravo et merci Charlotte
Anne-Sophie
DeleteOui, elle est sublime et c’est un plaisir de revoir cette belle robe.
Anne-Eli
This tour just gets better and better. I love Meghan's makeup. It looks so fresh and youthful. And I am very happy for another repeat. The earrings look fabulous too.
ReplyDeleteElla
This dress elicited a lot of lively discussion (not too nice, some of it), and I am among those who really liked it. Others thought it resembled window awnings, I believe. ROFL. I am glad she brought it back for this visit, it's just right. She looks fantastic.
ReplyDeleteThey are doing a special thing that only they can do and I say thank you to them for that. Thank you mad about Meghan for doing a great job at covering it.
ReplyDeleteI find the dress boring, and a little too tight in some places, but I love her hair!! I think a side parting suits her so much better than a middle one. She used to wear it so much more in her Rachel Zane days ;-)
ReplyDeleteI agree!!!
DeleteShe has a face shape where a middle part works but side parts are just so much prettier and frame the face
I agree as well the side parting is so pretty much nicer than a middle one. I’m not a fan of the long dresses Meghan has been wearing they seem just that bit too long which to me seem to swamp her. The dresses wear her instead of her wearing them. Wonderful tour so far thank you Charlotte for giving us all the tidbits on the areas they are visiting
DeleteI’m finding more and more I like her casual looks. I loved her beach look, I loved what I could see of her arrival look.
ReplyDeleteBut I feel a lot of her clothes just do not really suit her body and just don’t fit into my personal preference. To stave off any comments, this is just my personal preference. Her face and hair look lovely.
I really feel that they are using this tour to turn the ship around on their recent bad publicity. They flew commercial, she has recycled a couple items already... hopefully this works for them.
I am a bit confused about the purpose of their visit. I had thought that they were visiting South Africa as part of their Commonwealth duties, but South Africa left the Commonwealth in 1960. Could someone please explain???
ReplyDeleteHello,
DeleteSouth Africa rejoined the Commonwealth in the early 1990s.
I 'm glad to see that Duchess starts to repeat more of her clothes, especially dresses from last tour. Earrings give a more glamorous look. I 'm intresting how shoes she wears.
ReplyDeleteIt's delightful to see Harry and Meghan so happy together. It was a long time coming for Harry but he sure picked a winner.
ReplyDeleteHer maxi dresses are so long that it is a miracle that she doesn't trip. There must be a secret to walking in them.
Re: Meghan's rings - I went on a humanitarian trip years ago and left my gemstone rings at home, opting only to wear my gold wedding band. It was suggested by trip organizers that we not flaunt wealth. Maybe that's why.
ReplyDeleteFrom a satorial point of view I am sorry not to see a new cocktail dress but from a PR point of view the repeat is on point and I think better suited to this function than it was to the beach for its first outing.
ReplyDeleteAs for her engagement ring, I agree with other South African posters that a diamond engagement ring are by no means unusual and would no more been bad optics than wearing it to Brixton or other poor areas in the UK.
However since she started by not wearing it, it would be better to continue not to wear it for the tour. If you wear it sometimes and not at other places it will become the story.
I'm not sure that not wearing of the engagement ring and eternity band are sartorial or PR related. I find that in hot environments, my rings don't seem to fit as my fingers tend to swell from heat/humidity. I then switch to other rings that are more comfortable and not as snug.
DeleteI was just going to add that I don't always wear my engagement ring. Sometimes just the band. And whenever I don't wear my ring, I always get questions at work. Sometimes I like the look of just my band. Especially if I'm very casual. I feel like Kate's ring is iconic. Also, once upon a time, the engagement ring wasn't always worn.
DeleteCidell, with a rock that big I would only wear my engagement ring at the most important and formal functions.
DeleteHowever, except for the last part of her pregnancy (understandably) Meghan has always worn her ring. She has worn it to sporty events, she has worn it on tour to Aus/NZ, she wore it to Ireland, she wore it when visiting poor areas of London, she even wore it when taking Archie to the polo.
So it is interesting that she decided not to wear it to Africa.
Thank you Charlotte for your informative posts thus far. As always; I learn something new about the events the Duke and Duchess are attending.
ReplyDeleteAnd of course I am also interested in what Meghan decides to wear!😊
I'm going to say it. She hasn't lost all the weight she gained with Archie, and why is that a bad thing? I think she looks really cute, a bit sexier, and better than 99% of the world's population. Why must a woman be lean (which is fine) to be acceptable? Harry's obviously over the moon with his family. I love her new figure.
ReplyDeleteI so appreciate Meghan’s postpartum body. My baby girl is almost the same age as Archie and I in no way look the same as I did before my pregnancy. It’s not all just weight, your whole body changes and the idea that we’re supposed to “go back” after creating another human being is a ridiculous Hollywood standard that does not promote positivity in new moms.
DeleteI agree she looks great and healthy!
Allison, well said. She looks great. And she can fit into her "old" clothes, so it is not even that she gained "much" weight. Also if you look at pictures where she stands next to other people, she still looks very tiny, which makes me think about how incredibly tiny she was at the time between wedding and pregnancy. I think that now Meghan looks happy and healthy. I also love this tour's fashion choices.
DeleteElla
I'd like to comment on this meme created by the tabloids that Harry and Meghan need to recover their reputations after all the "scandals" of the summer. British tabloids created the negative press about Harry and Meghan virtually from whole cloth. Only in their own minds, and following their own narrative, does Meghan need to redeem herself in any way. I don't believe any of the slams against Meghan's character. As for this constant harping on commercial and private planes, remember that they flew commercial for the Australian and Moroccan tours; Harry flies commercial for his solo tours; they've flown commercial for the private trips as a couple. The Clooneys offered a ride to a pregnant Meghan; Elton John offered a ride to the little family of three, and their trip to Ibiza has never been confirmed. This constant harping on the sussex travel is bullying pure and simple. I think the issue itself is worth ink, but then they should discuss the entire royal family, who all fly private from time to time and even frequently when on family holidays. Sorry for the rant, but I'm sick and tired of every publication crowing that the Sussexes have learned their lesson and are listening to the press. I imagine they were always going to fly commercial to South Africa. Harry and Meghan clearly have proven themselves to be two responsible people. This tour is certainly showing us all the many aspects of SA, the crime, the consequences of apartheid, a vibrant culture exerting itself, the resilience and the hard work of changing and building a better country for all its people. I think Archie is participating in the tour through his parents talking about him, and giving everyone an idea about their family life. We may not get an official picture, but his parents have certainly shared their son with people so far.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate this very much. Well said and spot on!
DeleteAnonyme 20h39
DeleteJe me demande toujours à qui profite toutes ces contre les Sussex.?pourquoi leur popularité dérange tant ?
Je leur souhaite beaucoup de force et je crois que leur amour sera plus fort.
Autre chose est ce une déformation professionnelle de ma part? Et si Baby Sussex 2 était en route ?d'autres ont ils la même impression que moi...? Habituellement je ne me trompe que rarement.
Anne-Sophie de Paris - J'ai la meme impression de vous. Je pense que peut-etre il ya un autre enfant de Sussex en route.
DeleteI agree with your points. I am tired of the narrative of private jets or getting people to fall in love with them again. We only just saw that there is so much love for them when Meghan did the smartset launch and Harry during his recent engagements in the UK. Anyway loving the tour and this blog is such a great place to catch up at the end of the day.
DeleteAnne-Sophie, I do not think there is a 2nd baby en route. She simply isn‘t in pre-pregnancy shape and that‘s absolutely perfectly fine.💕🙏🌻
DeleteThank you for such wonderfully detailed posts! I appreciate knowing about all the various causes H&M are trying to highlight. For me that's so much more important than what M wears--although I enjoy that very much too! Re the ring, it may be as simple as not wanting to wear a large prong-set stone while caring for an infant. I know a lot of women who stopped wearing their elaborate rings while their children were young. Perhaps she will bring it out for more formal occasions.
ReplyDeleteGreat repeat. This dress looks so much better than any other dress she has worn... well since Archie was born. I liked it a lot the first time round and I still do. It works well with open and tied hair so I cannot decide if one style is better. Hopefully we see it again in the future.
ReplyDeleteC.
Anonymous 20:39, my thoughts precisely. The press creates its own fiction (aka false news) and drinks its own Kool-aid with the numerous outrageous claims they make. Now they act as if Harry and Meghan having received a sufficient amount of nanny-stick from the press they are now trying to be good and dutiful little children on this tour.
ReplyDeleteThough I keep abreast of the nonsense in order to make better informed judgements regarding purely speculative and often regurgitated old news from years ago being headlined as nothing but clickbait, it's utterly tiresome.
Bless you, Charlotte for creating this platform where we can enjoy insightful commentary on the work of Meghan (together with Harry) within current as well as historical context. I hope that one day you'll get a gong for all your hard work. You richly deserve it.
By the way, my issue of September's British Vogue finally arrived here in Victoria, Canada last week. What an amazing woman Meghan is.
Thank you, Anonymous at 20:39. Also, Archie is NOT what is making them be well received. The Duke and Duchess are caring people. Not perfect, thank God, but definitely caring.
ReplyDeleteI would be surprised if this gets published but here goes. Charlotte, your posts are so great and informative. I love reading about the background of different places visited. You surely put a ton of work into this. However, I am confused about a lot of things. What is the real purpose for this tour? So far Megan's clothes choices have done nothing for me, my opinion only and Harry always looks wrinkly. I was taken aback by what she chose to wear to a mosque. Arms should have been covered and absolutely no cleavage. Why hasn't anyone seen Archie? I will always enjoy your work though Charlotte! Thanks for everything you do.
ReplyDeleteHello Unknown,
DeleteI'm going to try and answer your questions as best as I can, because I think you raise points others have expressed. I don't know if you're new to royal watching or if you're followed any tours previously?
1) The tour was requested by the government, as most tours are. Members of the Royal family are considered very reliable ambassadors for Britain. Deploying them abroad solidifies ties and most importantly promotes UK partnerships abroad. In this tour's case, the upcoming UK-Africa Investment Summit in London played a role. Tomorrow, Meghan will meet female investors and women working in technology. It's very much about highlighting inter-country relations. Harry and Meghan are highly sought after by the Foreign Office and there have been numerous quotes from officials saying they believe they are very effective and have a talent for connecting with youth.
2) The Commonwealth is extremely important to the Queen and the Royal family. Continuing the links and relationships with member nations is considered a vital element of the monarchy's work. You'll see all working royals touring at least once a year.
3) Certainly, a portion of this tour was organised with the Queen's Commonwealth Trust. In their roles as President and Vice President, we'll see them supporting young people and highlighting efforts across the board. In terms of education and environmental efforts, the Trust is growing substantially.
4) Clothes have absolutely no bearing on the success or failure of any tour. Unless something shockingly inappropriate is worn, it's not going to have an impact. We usually see a touch of sartorial diplomacy from royals which is lovely, but the 100% focus on fashion is a shame to see. I've seen it on both blogs time and time again. Amazing events, speeches, great interactions and then the reaction on social media and often on the blogs is just "I hate that dress", "she looks like rubbish". I enjoy the fashion side as much as anyone, however, it's not their job to focus on pleasing the masses sartorially. They are not models. Clothes are a part of the interest and it often draws people in. Still, in my opinion, it's crossed a line when we're seeing really substantive work completely ignored. There's a balance to be struck there and in many ways it comes down to people understanding there's a job to be done and the brief is not just show up and look fabulous. For me personally, it was quite shocking to see H&M visit the murder capital of South Africa and to make passionate speeches about violence against women, to see the reaction was nearly all about the dress. It speaks to a much larger problem in royal watching I think. I'm aware many enjoy following the royals for fashion and to switch off. I respect that completely. It does increasingly feel though as if commentary often has a nasty edge to it and the bigger picture is missed.
With Meghan, she was criticised daily during the tour last year over her new clothes and the cost of them. This totally overtook commentary on this blog at least. This year, it's repeats and so far inexpensive pieces and the reaction is just as negative in a different way. My guess is her time planning was spent on researching the work and preparing speeches and not agonising over what to wear.
5) The intention was always to bring Archie to one event. That will happen at some point during the tour.
I hope this goes some way in explaining the purpose of tours. On another note, thank you for your kind comment on the blog, I'm glad you enjoy stopping by :)
I'm sorry to come up as Unknown, my name is Monica, live in the US and have been following your blogs since you started the one on the Duchess of Cambridge. As a little background, I have not only an MBA but several undergrads, one specialising in British history. I had to grin when you asked if I was new to royal watching and tours. Not hardly. I apologize if I sounded ignorant. It seemed I touched a nerve and that was not my intention. What I have loved about your blogs was the combination of facts, which you so expertly provide, and the fashion side. It goes without saying that the work comes first. I did not mean to imply anything else. I always enjoy reading the opinions of your followers. Royals seem to be in a no win situation. If they buy something new, they are criticized, if they repeat, the same. I was just expressing an opinion on her choice for the mosque but it was simply an opinion. I am close to the age Princess Diana would have been and we had babies around the same time. I would say, yes, I have followed royal tours and love the British royals. Again, apologies. I will continue to read your educated blogs. They are highlights to my day.
DeleteAgree with all the points you made Charlotte
DeleteDear Charlotte,
DeleteThank you so much for this. I, too, have often been surprised by the total focus on clothes, with some saying that this is a fashion blog, after all. The work H&M are doing is far more important. The speeches delivered by Harry and Meghan the first day were incredible. Each site they visit has great importance.
I have often been disappointed that Meghan's clothes don't fit as well as they could. But I've concluded that, as you say, she works hard researching the places and causes she will visit and preparing to do a good job, and I really think that the fit of her clothes takes second place to that. And now second place to caring for Archie as well.
Thank you so much for your wonderful reporting on H&M. You are my one true source of information on them and their work.
R
Hi Charlotte
DeleteThanks for providing your perspective on the purpose of this, and other, royal tours. I’m probably as guilty as anyone when it comes to spending more time thinking about Meghan’s style choices vs the charities she is visiting. If her decision to wear mostly repeats, so far, is designed to keep the focus on the content, it’s having that effect for me.
I wonder if you’ve thought about adding a poll to your tour wrap-up that might help us remember all the good work H&M are doing? So, in addition to the polls asking your readers to vote on their favorite outfits, maybe one asking us to vote on the most impactful visit? (I, for one, was completely taken aback by the problems spotlighted by the beach visit.)
Thank you Charlotte for covering the tour wonderfully as always. But it is very difficult not to comment on this, so I will:)
DeleteFor me, the first two days was like sightseeing so far, it is amazing how you and the tour covered very important issues, significant places and events. I had very little knowledge of the country, and following the Sussexes tour for the 2nd time, one can be sure that followers will get the real deal and substance and depth. And I was very saddened by the fact that as you have written, the majority of the comments were on fashion. (As much as I enjoy it) Women came to this blog to talk about fashion when the post was about rape and that absolutely shocking number of violence towards WOMEN, LITTLE GIRLS AND ON!
I am so upset about it and I don't get it. How anyone could really think leaving a comment on her missing ring on different posts, or her uncovered arms and so on is really a subject matter here. People need to get a grip, can't put it nicer I am sorry.
And you hit that nail on the head, no matter what Meghan is wearing, either expensive or cheap, it is not good enough.
I think she is more than good enough, this woman showed the world what can one achieve by caring. And I stop here.
I am a frivolous being that is interested in fashion. I came to this blog because I first came to DKB after Kate blew me away by the way she dressed. I am interested in what they do, but it is a pleasure for the eyes when one of them has a sartorial hit. This tour so far hasn't been interesting from a fashion point of view. That doesn't mean it isn't a success from other points of view.
DeleteHello Monica,
DeleteNot at all, you did not touch a nerve. Goodness, it would be a boring world if we all shared the same opinions. I was responding to your question on the purpose of a royal tour. It's something I've been asked a few times in recent months and thought it would be a good time to discuss it.
Spirited fashion debates have always and will always be a part of royal watching. I definitely have no issue there. There's times, events and tours where it shouldn't be the main story. My guess is Meghan had some concern coverage would once again focus on the price of her clothes as it did last year and again in Morocco. As I always say about the royals, it's all about striking the right balance.
Anett has left a new comment on the post "Meghan Brings Back Martin Grant Dress for Youth Re...":...thank you for your comments
DeleteUnknown, my impression is that this tour is totally about the people and what they are doing and what needs to be done. If they took Archie to a 1-hour meeting, it would be 1 hour of Archie cuteness. These people deserve more from their brief time in the spotlight. When Kate and Will took George on the tour, he was seen at a playdate, at a butterfly garden -- what I remember is that the venues were about young children. I'm absolutely thrilled that M&H have Archie, but he's their good fortune, not the world's. I know what he looks like now and am more interested in seeing him grow up. You made me laugh about Harry always being wrinkly! I think the point is that they are not "vacationing" touring but trying to be helpful touring. :)
ReplyDeleteWell spoken Charlotte. It’s always amazes me how much everyone carries on amount her clothes. It makes me angry 😡 when all the comments are on her clothes or did she or didn’t she break protocol 🙄. I don’t think there is much protocol just some traditions. It’s what they say, it’s their presence, it’s watching the huge smiles of the people they are greating. It’s about shining a light on human suffering and keeping communities and countries together. It’s about happiness. Also Archie is a baby he is not public property and I can’t believe people just expect to see him and have his parents parade him around. Their speeches are powerful and on script people so listen and learn and stop worrying about what she’s wearing. That’s so shallow and unfortunately typical of a lot of people today.
Delete@Geelong, you’ve hit the nail on the head. Apart from the first black and white one, all dresses have been too long or swamping her. She’s very tiny, and quite square waisted (if that’s a thing!!), and these maxi dresses are all just a bit of a miss IMHO.
ReplyDeleteBravo Charlotte well said. We have seen and read about the horrors this country is facing. This tour is highlighting the positive work being done to uplift its people. The Queen has always promoted the Commonwealth and spent 6 months straight traveling these countries to show her love and support throughout all political controversies.
ReplyDeleteThe happiness on the faces of young, old, different races, ethnicity, religions, and charities is just wonderful to see. These people are thrilled that the royals are there and interacting on such a personal level. If the DDOS only lift up 10 people, multiply that by those 10 helping someone else. They are not there to cure cancer, but help heal a nation by showing the great work being done by charities.
Keep up the good work you Nobel laureate You!!
Thank you for your reply to Unknown @22:19, Charlotte, and well stated, Allison in US. Thank you again, Charlotte for creating this blog. I sense a lovely community here.
ReplyDeleteCharlotte, thank you so much for your work in creating these spaces and discussing the work of both the Sussex and Cambridge families. As you say, so many people seem to only follow the Royal families for the fashion. I don't know much about modern South Africa and like others have said, we didn't study modern governments of other nations in school. In college, I took only the required history classes, my area of study is Biology! All that to say, in the early 1980's I was engaged to a man who worked for a man of Dutch ancestry who had immigrated to the US from South Africa. That man's attitude toward women and his influence on my fiance led to my breaking the engagement. I've never been sorry I made that decision, but I well remember the feeling of not being heard simply because I was a woman. This entire tour is a success in my opinion simply because Meghan is standing up saying women deserve a voice! As a teacher of allied health courses, I applaud the choice they have made to keep Archie away from crowds. He is very young and doesn't need to be exposed to risk of infections his system isn't ready to deal with yet. That has nothing to do with Africa, I would say the same if they were showing him off in London. It is an entirely different situation when the Cambridges took George to Australia and New Zealand, they were introducing the heir! Archie isn't the heir, they apparently don't intend him to be a working royal and his physical well being is a priority.
ReplyDeleteShe looks really pretty here!!
ReplyDeleteThank you Charlotte, I have really enjoyed your posts and the engagements on the tour so far. I particularly like a story where some aunties tried to offer H&M some food and drink while they were making their way to the family who they were officially having the food and tea with. It appears people have loved interacting with them, meeting them and sharing their stories with them. I love how they have highlighted the issues but also communicated the good work being done in these communities as well as the love and joy of the people. The tone has been good; working with the communities and listening to them. It has truly been wonderful. Harry and Meghan both look full of energy and energised with love and laughter. Love it.
ReplyDeleteI don't care for either of the long dresses. They look too long and just not right for the occasions. Both would look very nice if they were midi length.
ReplyDeleteThank you Charlotte for all the details. I love reading about this part of the world. I worked in E. Africa and visited parts of W. Africa, but never got a chance to go south. I have S. African expat friends so it has been fun to get their take. They are delighted to see their country profiled with all its challenges and successes.
ReplyDeleteTours to the Commonwealth nations and countries with historical ties to the U.K. is part of the BRF’s job description. Charles and Camilla toured West Africa in 2018 and the Caribbean earlier this year. Kate and Will were in Europe. Other lesser known royals do the same. I believe Sophie, Countess of Wessex, was just in Kenya recently working on women empowerment issue. These tours are focused and intentional with a lot of prep work done in advance (that means getting clearance and directions from all the nations involved).
There’s a UK diplomatic element with these tours along with what I see as QE2’s determination to grow, strengthen and unify the Commonwealth as one of her major legacies.
Do I think it’s a bit weird to have members of the RF on an official visit every few years? Yes. It’s certainly unique among the royal houses. But then people in many of these countries love the attention and focus on their country. There’s quite a bit of inter-nation exchanges that goes on too, especially among young people. Everything from trade, education, culture, governance, environment, humanitarian aid, etc.
With conflicts all around us, I’m all for spreading a bit of peace, mutual cooperation and friendship. S. Africa, like many African nations, is at a crossroad. There’s a fair bit of international geopolitical jockeying going on right now (with some more recent players seeking to influence like China, Russia, UAE) and I suspect the U.K. would like to continue to strengthen its trade and economic ties with these nations. The BRF tours around the world fulfill the role of soft sell, personal diplomacy here.
- Martine
Charlotte you are truly amazing for doing all this work. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteEqual measure hilarity and sadness reading the comments about the clothes. I am definitely on the side of the message and not the clothes. Her speech claiming herself as a woman of colour was moving. Go Meghan.
This couple is such an inspiration. They glow with goodwill and happiness, compassion and intelligence. Harry has become such a lovely, inspiring man and father and Meghan is the perfect partner. She is a breath of beautiful fresh air. Archie looks exactly like Harry!!! I can’t wait to see him grow and watch what else this gorgeous family accomplishes in the world. Go team Sussex!!!!
ReplyDeletebeautiful this dress is perfect for this occassion
ReplyDeletethey are one hell of a beautiful couple
oh good i love her dress she dress comfortably outfit i love the duke and duchess of Sussex are caring people in their im do not think about what she wearing or what she does i love how inspiring her speech is woman i power no mater how your color or your races these so much inspring hearing that truly inspiring
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