Of course, this tour is especially important to them given the special place Africa holds in their hearts. "The Duke of Sussex's love for Africa is well known; he first visited the continent at the age of thirteen and more than two decades later, the people, culture, wildlife and resilient communities continue to inspire and motivate him every day." Harry and Meghan's role as President and Vice-President of the Queen's Commonwealth Trust influenced the itinerary, with both determined "to meet young leaders working to address socio-economic and environmental challenges". For Meghan, a key area of focus will be working with organisations supporting women's education, health, entrepreneurship and leadership. "The Duchess is particularly looking forward to the opportunity to learn from inspirational women in the region. As Patron of the Association of Commonwealth Universities, Her Royal Highness will meet female entrepreneurs, academics and community leaders, and join discussions with Southern African young women about the future of their countries."
The tour was requested by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office with the UK-African relationship an important consideration. Samantha Cohen continued at the briefing: "The Duke and Duchess are pleased to raise awareness of the positive partnerships in advance of the UK-Africa Investment Summit in London 2020." Harry and Meghan will visit joint projects that are working to encourage youth employment, education and health in addition to preparing young people to take advantage of growing opportunities. "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."
Will we see Archie during the tour? The Sussexes will not have an official arrival, instead kicking off with engagements in Cape Town. The Palace said: "The couple hope to include Archie at some point in the programme, but it's difficult to schedule. He's five months old." I expect it's likely something is tentatively arranged, quite possibly for the middle of the tour when Harry's travelling to other countries and Meghan remains with Archie in South Africa.
Monday, 23 September
Let's take a look at the agenda, shall we? The tour begins in a township in Cape Town where Harry and Meghan will view a workshop that educates children about their rights and safety, and provides self defence and female empowerment training for young girls in the community. From there, the Duke and Duchess will tour the District Six Museum to learn about their work reuniting community members forcibly relocated during the apartheid era. The day will conclude with a community cooking activity with former residents of District Six at the nearby Homecoming Centre.
Tuesday, 24 September
In the morning, Harry and Meghan will travel to Monwabisi Beach to learn about Waves For Change, an NGO which trains and supports local surf mentors to provide mental health services. They will also see the work of the Lunchbox Fund, one of the charities they chose to benefit from donations in celebration of Archie's birth. The charity supports vulnerable children in South Africa to get the education they need to escape a life of poverty by providing a nutritious daily meal to schoolchildren who would otherwise go hungry. The fund provides invaluable assistance to Waves for Change programmes and schools.
Next, they will meet Dr Thomas Maes, leader of the Commonwealth Litter Programme launched at the London Commonwealth Summit in 2018, in support of the Commonwealth Blue Charter. The programme is working to tackle waste in six Commonwealth countries. Harry will then join the City of Cape Town Marine Unit to travel by boat to Seal Island to learn about their work tackling poaching.
That afternoon, the Duke and Duchess will visit the Bo Kaap area to mark Heritage Day, a celebration of great diversity, belief and traditions that make up the rainbow nation of South Africa. They will visit Auwal Mosque, the oldest mosque in the country where they will meet representatives of various faiths and discuss the strength of interfaith dialogue in Cape Town. Afterwards, local residents will host the royals for tea.
Harry and Meghan will conclude the packed day with a reception at the British High Commissioner's Residence where they will meet young leaders and inspiring opinion-formers underpinning the rich and diverse nature of the UK's partnership with Africa.
Wednesday, 25 September
Day three begins with a very special engagement. Harry and Meghan will meet Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Mrs Tutu at their legacy foundation. Harry last met the Archbishop in 2015 when he presented him with an honour in recognition of his services to the UK. Sussex Royal recently shared one of his inspiring quotes.
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 carry out the first of several solo engagements during the tour, visiting the Woodstock Exchange to meet female entrepreneurs and investors working in technology. Meghan hopes to highlight the benefits of young aspiring businesswomen working with mentors and role models.
Meanwhile in Botswana, Harry will visit Chobe Forest Tree Reserve where he will join schoolchildren to plant trees and raise awareness of the fragility of these vital ecosystems. Harry will then visit a local project run by Sentebale before travelling to Chobe National Park, to dedicate an area of forest to the Queen's Commonwealth Canopy. Afterwards, Harry will depart for Angola. Harry will spend the evening at the HALO Trust de-mining camp.
Thursday, 26 September
The Duchess will participate in a private "Women in Public Service" breakfast at the High Commission in Cape Town. Invited guests will all have played a role in the development of South Africa's institutions, and continue to advocate for women's rights, education and healthcare. I expect images will be released from the meeting afterwards.
The day will see Harry retrace his mother's footsteps.
More from ITV:
Friday, 27 September - Monday 30 September
Working with the HALO Trust, Harry will give a speech about the importance of de-mining. The Prince will unveil a unique three-country Queen's Commonwealth Canopy project designed by Harry - which includes Angola's Luengue-Luiana National Park - the site of a de-mining initiative.
Harry will also visit Huambo Orthapaedic Centre, also visited by Diana in 1997. It aims to become Angola's national centre of excellence in orthapaedic care. Harry will be greeted by the Minister of Health. The centre's new name, in honour of Diana, will be unveiled. That evening, Harry will attend a reception at the British Ambassadors' residence.
On the morning of the 28th, Harry will have an audience with President Lourenco and visit a maternity hospital to see the work of a project spearheaded by First Lady Ana Dias Lourenco which focuses on HIV/Aids transmission from mothers to babies.
Harry will make his first official visit to Malawi where he will travel to Nalikule College of Education and meet a group of young women who completed their education with the help of UKA'id bursaries through the campaign for female education. Harry will see the impact of UK investments in helping girls receive education; the project is supported by the Queen's Commonwealth Trust. Harry will meet the President before attending an evening reception. He will also attend a reception at the British Ambassador's residence.
Harry will travel to Liwonde to receive a briefing on anti-poaching efforts and to pay tribute to Guardsman Matthew Talbot who lost his life in May on an anti-poaching patrol. To conclude, the Prince will dedicate Liwonde National Park and the adjoining Mangochi forest to the Queen's Commonwealth Canopy.
The Duchess does not have engagements announced for Friday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday. I expect it's possible we'll see other embargoed events, however I do think they'll want to keep the focus on the amazing engagements Harry has in three other countries during those days. Meghan and Archie will also travel from Cape Town to Johannesburg.
Tuesday, 1 October
Meghan will attend a round-table discussion with the Association of Commonwealth Universities in Johannesburg. The Duchess will then visit a school to learn about the work of a local charity which receives UK aid funding to raise awareness and tackle sexual violence in schools.
Before rejoining Meghan and Archie, Harry will travel to Mauwa Health Centre, Pharmacy in a Box and Youth Reproductive Health Outreach Programme. Through this project, the UK and US have supported the introduction of solar powered storage units to provide life saving medicines.
Wednesday, 2 October
On the final day of the tour, the Sussexes will visit a township in Johannesburg where they will meet inspiring young people and view skills initiatives addressing unemployment challenges. Later that day, they will meet Mrs Graca Machal, widow of the late Nelson Mandela.
Harry and Meghan will attend an afternoon reception to celebrate the UK and South Africa's business and investment relationship. Finally to close the tour, they will attend an audience with President Cyril Ramaphosa and his wife.
Harry, Meghan and Archie will depart that evening.
More from Sussex Royal:
It promises to be an incredibly exciting tour covering the causes closest to their hearts. We're also seeing the natural expansion of their Commonwealth roles with the Queen's Commmonwealth Trust and as ambassadors for Britain abroad. Which engagements are you most looking forward to?
In other news, the Duchess is reportedly travelling to support close friend Serena Williams in the final of the US Open tomorrow. We should see Meghan cheering on Serena at around 9 pm (4 pm New York) tomorrow.
Tuesday, 24 September
In the morning, Harry and Meghan will travel to Monwabisi Beach to learn about Waves For Change, an NGO which trains and supports local surf mentors to provide mental health services. They will also see the work of the Lunchbox Fund, one of the charities they chose to benefit from donations in celebration of Archie's birth. The charity supports vulnerable children in South Africa to get the education they need to escape a life of poverty by providing a nutritious daily meal to schoolchildren who would otherwise go hungry. The fund provides invaluable assistance to Waves for Change programmes and schools.
Next, they will meet Dr Thomas Maes, leader of the Commonwealth Litter Programme launched at the London Commonwealth Summit in 2018, in support of the Commonwealth Blue Charter. The programme is working to tackle waste in six Commonwealth countries. Harry will then join the City of Cape Town Marine Unit to travel by boat to Seal Island to learn about their work tackling poaching.
That afternoon, the Duke and Duchess will visit the Bo Kaap area to mark Heritage Day, a celebration of great diversity, belief and traditions that make up the rainbow nation of South Africa. They will visit Auwal Mosque, the oldest mosque in the country where they will meet representatives of various faiths and discuss the strength of interfaith dialogue in Cape Town. Afterwards, local residents will host the royals for tea.
Harry and Meghan will conclude the packed day with a reception at the British High Commissioner's Residence where they will meet young leaders and inspiring opinion-formers underpinning the rich and diverse nature of the UK's partnership with Africa.
Wednesday, 25 September
Day three begins with a very special engagement. Harry and Meghan will meet Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Mrs Tutu at their legacy foundation. Harry last met the Archbishop in 2015 when he presented him with an honour in recognition of his services to the UK. Sussex Royal recently shared one of his inspiring quotes.
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 carry out the first of several solo engagements during the tour, visiting the Woodstock Exchange to meet female entrepreneurs and investors working in technology. Meghan hopes to highlight the benefits of young aspiring businesswomen working with mentors and role models.
Meanwhile in Botswana, Harry will visit Chobe Forest Tree Reserve where he will join schoolchildren to plant trees and raise awareness of the fragility of these vital ecosystems. Harry will then visit a local project run by Sentebale before travelling to Chobe National Park, to dedicate an area of forest to the Queen's Commonwealth Canopy. Afterwards, Harry will depart for Angola. Harry will spend the evening at the HALO Trust de-mining camp.
Thursday, 26 September
The Duchess will participate in a private "Women in Public Service" breakfast at the High Commission in Cape Town. Invited guests will all have played a role in the development of South Africa's institutions, and continue to advocate for women's rights, education and healthcare. I expect images will be released from the meeting afterwards.
The day will see Harry retrace his mother's footsteps.
More from ITV:
'The Duke of Sussex will make a “significant and poignant” journey to Angola to pay homage to the anti-landmine work of his mother Diana, Princess of Wales during a major tour of Africa, Buckingham Palace has confirmed.
At a Buckingham Palace press briefing about the tour, Sam Cohen, the duke’s private secretary, said: “In a particularly significant and poignant journey, the Duke of Sussex will have the opportunity to return to Angola to see first-hand the legacy of his mother the late Diana, Princess of Wales, whose visit to Huambo in 1997 helped raise awareness of the threat posed by landmines to communities and livelihoods.
“The work of the late princess, and commitment to this issue, changed global opinion. “Now, more than two decades later, humanitarian de-mining work continues and the Angolan government has made a significant financial commitment to clearing landmines from another large area important for conservation of Angola’s unique ecosystem.”
Diana famously walked through a cleared minefield in Angola in 1997 to highlight the plight of those maimed by military munitions.'
Friday, 27 September - Monday 30 September
Working with the HALO Trust, Harry will give a speech about the importance of de-mining. The Prince will unveil a unique three-country Queen's Commonwealth Canopy project designed by Harry - which includes Angola's Luengue-Luiana National Park - the site of a de-mining initiative.
Harry will also visit Huambo Orthapaedic Centre, also visited by Diana in 1997. It aims to become Angola's national centre of excellence in orthapaedic care. Harry will be greeted by the Minister of Health. The centre's new name, in honour of Diana, will be unveiled. That evening, Harry will attend a reception at the British Ambassadors' residence.
On the morning of the 28th, Harry will have an audience with President Lourenco and visit a maternity hospital to see the work of a project spearheaded by First Lady Ana Dias Lourenco which focuses on HIV/Aids transmission from mothers to babies.
Harry will make his first official visit to Malawi where he will travel to Nalikule College of Education and meet a group of young women who completed their education with the help of UKA'id bursaries through the campaign for female education. Harry will see the impact of UK investments in helping girls receive education; the project is supported by the Queen's Commonwealth Trust. Harry will meet the President before attending an evening reception. He will also attend a reception at the British Ambassador's residence.
Harry will travel to Liwonde to receive a briefing on anti-poaching efforts and to pay tribute to Guardsman Matthew Talbot who lost his life in May on an anti-poaching patrol. To conclude, the Prince will dedicate Liwonde National Park and the adjoining Mangochi forest to the Queen's Commonwealth Canopy.
The Duchess does not have engagements announced for Friday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday. I expect it's possible we'll see other embargoed events, however I do think they'll want to keep the focus on the amazing engagements Harry has in three other countries during those days. Meghan and Archie will also travel from Cape Town to Johannesburg.
Tuesday, 1 October
Meghan will attend a round-table discussion with the Association of Commonwealth Universities in Johannesburg. The Duchess will then visit a school to learn about the work of a local charity which receives UK aid funding to raise awareness and tackle sexual violence in schools.
Before rejoining Meghan and Archie, Harry will travel to Mauwa Health Centre, Pharmacy in a Box and Youth Reproductive Health Outreach Programme. Through this project, the UK and US have supported the introduction of solar powered storage units to provide life saving medicines.
Wednesday, 2 October
On the final day of the tour, the Sussexes will visit a township in Johannesburg where they will meet inspiring young people and view skills initiatives addressing unemployment challenges. Later that day, they will meet Mrs Graca Machal, widow of the late Nelson Mandela.
Harry and Meghan will attend an afternoon reception to celebrate the UK and South Africa's business and investment relationship. Finally to close the tour, they will attend an audience with President Cyril Ramaphosa and his wife.
Harry, Meghan and Archie will depart that evening.
More from Sussex Royal:
'In just two weeks, Their Royal Highnesses will embark on this official tour focusing on community, grassroots leadership, women’s and girls’ rights, mental health, HIV/AIDS and the environment. This programme has been many months in the making, and The Duke and Duchess are eager to focus their energies on the great work being done in Southern Africa.
From meeting with Archbishop Desmond Tutu to joining ‘Waves for Change’ on Monwabisi Beach, the South Africa programme will be educational and inspiring. The Duke is especially proud to continue the legacy left by his mother with her work in Angola as he joins Halo Trust again in an effort to rid the world of landmines.
HRH will also travel to Malawi where he will check in on the British Army’s partnership with African Parks and will be working on the ground supporting local communities. The Duke is particularly proud to be able to deliver an exciting new initiative, a Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy three-country partnership which he designed and consulted with Governments in Namibia, Botswana and Angola to protect forest and wildlife corridors around the Okavango Delta.
The Duchess 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.
As President and Vice President of The Queens 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 🇿🇦🇧🇼🇦🇴🇲🇼'
It promises to be an incredibly exciting tour covering the causes closest to their hearts. We're also seeing the natural expansion of their Commonwealth roles with the Queen's Commmonwealth Trust and as ambassadors for Britain abroad. Which engagements are you most looking forward to?
In other news, the Duchess is reportedly travelling to support close friend Serena Williams in the final of the US Open tomorrow. We should see Meghan cheering on Serena at around 9 pm (4 pm New York) tomorrow.
