Meghan MarkleandPrince Harry, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have begun their first-ever royal tour with their baby,Archie Harrisonin tow. Little Archie was seen with the couple arriving at Cape Town International airport wearing a bobble hat, but was not out and about for the day’s activities. The Sussexes spent the day visiting a women and children’s center in Nyanga township and then at a museum dedicated to Cape Town’s District Six – once a multi-ethnic neighborhood that was bulldozed by the apartheid authorities in the 1960 s to create racial segregation.
The couple received a warm welcome from the public, with Meghan being pulled in for an impromptu dance with one of the welcome dancers.
The family arrived in Cape Town on a BA commercial flight to begin the 10 – day tour of southern Africa.
In a post on the Sussex Royal Instagram account ahead of the tour, the Duke said he could not wait to introduce his wife and son to South Africa, which has long been a special place for him.
While Meghan and Archie will spend the duration of the tour in South Africa, Harry will also tour Bots wana, Angola and Malawi and before being reunited with his family in Johannesburg.
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Prince Harry news: Harry and Meghan Markle have landed in Cape Town(Image: Getty)
Prince Harry news: Meghan dancing with a welcome dancer(Image: Getty)
Prince Harry news: The couple received a warm welcome from the public(Image: Getty)
A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said: “The Duke of Sussex’s love for Africa is well known.
“ He first visited the continent at the age of 13, and more than two decades later the people, culture, wildlife and resilient communities continue to inspire and motivate him every day. ”
Prince Harry’s first trip to Africa came in the months after his mother’s death in 1997, when the Prince of Wales took him to the continent “To get away from it all”, he has said.
The trip left such a lasting impression that he has, in the past, spoken about his d ream of working and living in Africa.
He once said he “Feels more myself” when out of the public eye and in Africa.
Prince Harry news: A young Harry in Lesotho in 2004(Image: Getty)
Asked what his dream job would be, he said: “I’d probably live in Africa.
“I’d like to spend all my time out there … As a job, it would probably be a safari guide.”
Now, plans are allegedly being drawn up for the Sussexes to spend an extended period of time abroad, possibly in Africa as they expand on their Commonwealth work.
While their welcome was jovial on Monday, this trip is a serious one, with today’s visit to Nyanga no exception.
A recent spike in violence against women has ignited protests across the country, and Nyanga has a particularly high crime rate.
Prince Harry news: The Duchess greets well-wishers(Image: Getty)
Prince Harry news: Meghan and Harry on Monday(Image: Getty)
Approximately 2, 700 women and 1, 000 children were murdered by men in the country last year. At least 100 rapes were also reported daily.
During the visit to the Justice Desk in Nyanga Prince, Harry told the crowds that “no man is born to cause harm to women” and this was “a cycle that needs to be broken”.
He said: “It’s about redefining masculinity.
“ It’s about creating your own footprints for your children to follow in, so that you can make a positive change for the future. ”
Speaking at the center, Meghan praised the work done to counter the surge of violence.
She added: “And just on one personal note, may I just say that while I’m here with my husband as a member of the Royal Family … I am here with you as a mother, as a wife, as a woman of color and as your sister. ”
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