Prince Harry will travel ALONE to Angola, Botswana and Malawi this autumn, palace reveals – and confirms he will join Meghan in South Africa
- Yesterday, the British High Commissioner to South Africa, Nigel Casey, revealed that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge would visit South Africa in the autumn
- Today, Buckingham Palace confirmed the news and revealed Harry, 34, would also travel to three other African countries during his tour of the continent
- Harry will visit Angola, Malawi and Botswana alone during the royal visit
- It’s unclear whether baby Archie, born on May 6th, will travel with his parents
- Casey joked that the couple’s visit could boost the South African economy because the royal visit cold spark a ‘hat and frock buying frenzy’
Buckingham Palace today confirmed the news that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will travel to South Africa on a royal tour this autumn.
Officials also revealed that the Prince Harry will make additional visits to three other African countries as part of the same trip.
Travelling alone, Prince Harry, 34, will visit Angola, Malawi and Botswana fuelling speculation that baby Archie, who will be around five months old by then, could also make the trip to South Africa and stay there with his mother while his father carries out royal duties elsewhere.
There has been speculation for a number of months that Harry and Meghan, 37, might both visit a number of countries while on the continent but it appears that the Duchess will now visit just South Africa.
It’s official: Buckingham Palace today confirmed the news released by South Africa’s British High Commissioner yesterday, saying the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will visit the Rainbow Nation in the autumn (Pictured: Meghan and Harry at Trooping the Colour in London earlier this month)
While it’s unclear whether the couple’s son, Archie, will travel with the couple, the Palace also revealed that Prince Harry, 34, will travel to three more African countries while on the tour including Angola, Botswana and Malawi
A statement released by the palace this afternoon said: ‘The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will undertake an official visit to South Africa this Autumn at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
‘In addition, The Duke of Sussex will visit Angola and Malawi at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
‘His Royal Highness will also undertake a working visit to Botswana while in the region. Further details will be advised in due course.’
Nigel Casey, British High Commissioner to South Africa, making the announcement today; he joked that the couple’s visit could single-handedly boost the country’s economy because they’ll spark a ‘hat and frock buying frenzy’
Yesterday, South Africa’s British High Commissioner confirmed their visit to the Rainbow Nation.
Addressing journalists at a press conference, commissioner Nigel Casey confirmed that new parents Meghan and Harry will, as speculated, embark upon a royal tour of the Rainbow Nation later this year. High Commissioner Casey said the trip would be a ‘short one’
Will baby Archie go too? It’s unclear whether the new parents will take their young son Archie, born May 6th, with them. High Commissioner Casey said yesterday that the trip would be a ‘short one’
Mr Casey told a press conference this morning that the royals were ‘coming back to visit South Africa in the autumn’.
He joked: ‘That’s great news for us, and I predict it’s also good news for the South African economy.
‘I predict a hat and frock buying frenzy to rival SONA [the country’s State of the Nation Address, which took place last Thursday] which could restore economic growth all on its own.
‘We’re hugely looking forward to that and thanks in anticipation for that and all the support that I know we’re going to receive.’
He added: ‘This a much shorter visit, they’ll be here for a matter of days and not months.’
While it will be autumn in the UK, it will be springtime in the Southern Hemisphere.
MailOnline has contacted Buckingham Palace for confirmation.
The news comes after speculation that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will travel to Asia later in the year for a major official tour.
It is understood the trip will focus on Commonwealth countries, meaning destinations might include Bangladesh, India, Malaysia and Singapore.
Sources believe there is a good chance of a visit to Sri Lanka, where a terror attack on Easter Sunday left at least 258 people dead, but less likelihood of a stop in Brunei, which has attracted criticism for its human rights record. It is believed China was considered but was ruled out.