Prince Harry is set to visit Lesotho and South Africa next week, 26 November to 3 December, and Kensington Palace have released more details.
The visit will highlight the Prince’s efforts on behalf of children and conservation efforts.
Harry’s visit begins in Lesotho, where he will visit with the Prime Minister, Dr. Pakalitha Bethuel Mosisili, and King Letsie III. He will then attend the official opening of the new Mamohato Children’s Centre in Thaba Bosiu, which aligns closely with the Prince’s charity, Sentebale.
Sentebale was founded by Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho in 2006 and is dedicated to the memories of their mothers, as ‘Sentebale’ means ‘Forget me not’ in Sesotho (the official language of Lesotho).
“Our priority is always to reach Lesotho’s most needy and vulnerable children, many of whom are the victims of extreme poverty and Lesotho’s HIV/AIDS epidemic,” reads the mission statement on Sentebale’s website.
The Prince’s schedule is empty on 27 November, which is the date of the Commonwealth Head of Government Meeting. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip are scheduled to be at the meeting in Malta, and you can read further coverage of their trip on Royal Central.
Prince Harry will then travel to South Africa where his first engagement will be to play in the Sentebale Royal Salute Polo Cup in Cape Town, which is the charity’s annual flagship event.
Afterwards, the Prince will carry out engagements on behalf of Her Majesty’s Government.
“The tour will focus on a number of key themes including understanding South Africa’s recent history, the issues and opportunities for young people in South Africa today, and the importance of wildlife conservation,” according to the press release.
On 30 November, Prince Harry will meet with Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu in Cape Town before he continues with the day’s engagements, which includes a visit to a youth centre, and to a project “which uses sport to engage with young people on a range of social issues, including life skills, gender equality, and HIV awareness.”
The Prince continues on to Durban the next day, focusing on youth-related engagements: The Sharks, which nurtures rugby talent; and Surfers Not Street Children, which provides psychosocial support to street children. That evening, the Prince will meet with locals on a Durban beach.
Prince Harry will then turn his focus towards conservation and anti-poaching, a cause that is very important to him, travelling to Kruger National Park to highlight efforts to protect endangered animals in South Africa.
“Prince Harry chose to spend time this summer working with rangers on the front lines of conservation in Africa and is keen to highlight their skills and professional training,” reads the press release.
He will also visit the Southern African Wildlife College to see ranger training.
The Prince spent three months this past summer working in various parts of Africa on conservation matters after he retired from military service.
Prince Harry will end his tour on 3 December in Johannesburg, with a focus on the legacy of Nelson Mandela. He will visit The Nelson Mandela Foundation and call on Mrs. Graca Machel to tour the private archives of the Centre for Memory. Afterwards, he will visit students participating in Nelson Mandela – The Champion Within, which is a youth programme.
His last engagement will include a visit to the Youth Empowerment Exposition, which focuses on youth entrepreneurship.
