PRINCE HARRY & MEGHAN MARKLE TOURED SOUTH AFRICA,ANGOLA,BOTSWANA AND MALAWI YESTERDAY.{PHOTOS}.

     Yesterday, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have embarked on a tour of Southern Africa, where they will visit South Africa, Angola, Botswana and Malawi.

In Cape Town, The Duke and Duchess joined "The Justice Desk" workshop. Led by Queen’s Young Leader Jessica Dewhurst, it is an organisation empowering local communities. One of the initiatives - the Mbokodo Girls’ Empowerment programme - provides self-defence classes and empowerment training to young girls who have suffered trauma.

PRINCE HARRY'S {DUKE OF SUSSEX} SPEECH:

This is the definitely the first time I’ve spoken on top of a stump! So I thank you.
And thank you very much for the warm welcome today. It was incredibly important to my wife and me to begin our trip to South Africa here in Nyanga with all of you, so thank you for having us!
As someone who has visited this amazing country many times, and as someone who regards Cape Town as a uniquely special place in Africa, I wanted to ensure that our first visit as a family – with my wife by my side – focused on the significant challenges facing millions of South Africans, while acknowledging the hope that we feel so strongly here.

We are so incredibly grateful to be able to listen and learn from you about the issues that define your daily lives in these communities. And that’s what this is, a community. A community where men and women have a vital role to play. Touching on what your President said last week – no man is born to cause harm to women, this is learned behaviour, and a cycle that needs to be broken.

So now, 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.

To me, the real testament of your strength isn’t physical, it’s what’s up here and what’s in here. Your strength is in your spirit, which for me means honouring and protecting my wife, and being a positive role model for my son.


Your determination here in this township to overcome extreme adversity is testament to leadership shown by people like Theodora and many many organisations who offer vital support on a daily basis. Meghan and I are truly inspired by your resilience, your spirit, your sense of community, and your belief in a better future for everyone here.

I applaud you for the movement. And we know that you haven’t been heard before, but change is coming, now is the time to come together as a community, and we applaud those of you who are leading the way for South Africa’s ongoing transformation.

Thank you.

 MEGHAN MARKLE'S {DUCHESS OF SUSSEX}SPEECH:

Hello! It is such privilege to meet all of you today and to start our visit, my first time in South Africa, here in Nyanga.

We have just spent some time seeing all the incredible work that the Justice Desk does and of course all of you amazing women and the men who are here helping you, Mbokodo, you are incredible and what you’re doing is so powerful, because you’re all powerful.

The work that’s being done here is to keep women and children safer, which is needed now more than ever. This is an issue that’s been at the forefront of people’s minds here in South Africa, and of course across the globe, particularly over this past month.


Please know that my husband and I have been closely following what you’ve been experiencing here – as best we can from afar. But now that we are with you, we are eager to learn and see first-hand the work that you’re doing, the vital work that you’re doing, and that everything that is being done on the ground is making the great change that you not only need but that you deserve.

You have welcomed us into this community, have been open and honest with us, both about the dangers women and children face, and about how you are addressing them. The rights of women and girls is something that is very close to my heart, and the cause I have spent the majority of my life advocating for because I know that when women are empowered, the entire community flourishes.


So to be able to meet all of you today who are standing up for what’s right in the face of adversity, I applaud you. We are encouraged to hear your President take the next steps to work towards preventing gender-based violence through education and necessary changes to reinforce the values of modern South Africa.

I do have to say I feel incredibly humbled to be in the presence of all of you as you stand firm in your core values of respect, dignity and equality.

I read a quote a few weeks ago and it resonated with me as I’ve been watching what’s been happening here and your active efforts. Maya Angelou, the legendary poet and civil rights activist, once said: “Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it, possibly without claiming it, she stands up for all women.”.


Now I know it’s not easy and I know it must feel insurmountable at times, but your commitment to what is right gives all of us hope, especially your brothers and sisters here in your community who need you to continue to shine your light brightly. Your commitment is inspiring, it is energising and it is extraordinary. You must keep going, you must know that what you’re doing not only matters, it is vital because YOU are vital.

And just on one personal note, may I just say that while I am here with my husband as a member of The Royal Family, I want you to know that for me I am here with you as a mother, as a wife, as a woman, as a woman of colour and as your sister. I am here with you and I am here FOR you and I thank you so much for showing my husband and I the spirit of Ubuntu and I look forward to our time over the next few days together.

Thank you so much for having us. More photos below.