Harry and Meghan Do Cape Town!

By
Sasha S
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Prince Harry and Meghan Duchess of Sussex. Photo by REX/Shutterstock (10118636y)

Sawubona to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex!

South Africans warmly opened their arms on Monday as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle began their Africa tour in none other than Cape Town.

The city is known colloquially as the “Mother City” and the royal pair’s visit was surrounded by children as they ventured to the township of Nyanga.

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👋🏻 South Africa 🇿🇦 • After months of planning, Their Royal Highnesses, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrived in South Africa today for their official Royal Tour of Southern Africa – focusing on community, grassroots leadership, women’s and girls’ rights, mental health, HIV/AIDS and the environment. Their first stop was to the incredible Justice Desk Project which works to make women and children safer in Nyanga. It’s an issue of vital importance in South Africa and across the globe, their Royal Highnesses wanted to learn first-hand about the issues people face and the work being done on the ground. One of the workshops Their Royal Highnesses saw was the Mbokodo project which provides self-defense classes and female empowerment workshops to young girls who are overcoming major traumas. This project's powerful motto is "wathint' abafazi wathint' imbokodo" which means "you strike a woman; you strike a rock" • “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.” – The Duchess of Sussex • @TheJusticeDesk Project is supported by the @Queens_Commonwealth_Trust and works with community leaders in Nyanga, with the firm belief that if you can change the mindset of a community, you can change the mindset of a country. #SussexRoyalTour #RoyalVisitSouthAfrica • Photo ©️PA images / SussexRoyal – video SussexRoyal

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Meghan, who gave birth 4 months ago, told the crowd, “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 as a mother, as a wife, as a woman of color, 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.”

Harry and Meghan then made their way to District Six where thousands of non-white families were made to evacuate their homes in the ‘60s during Apartheid.

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The second half of Day one for #SussexRoyalTour brought Their Royal Highnesses to The District Six Museum and the Homecoming Centre who are re-building their local community in Cape Town. The Duke and Duchess had a first hand look and understanding of how much of this diverse community was destroyed, with people subjected to forced relocation during the apartheid era. At the Homecoming centre The Duke and Duchess were treated to food cooked by local women that showcased the wonderful variety of recipes – and the importance of cooking to bring communities together – a topic The Duchess feels strongly about (just like Together, the cookbook from the women of The Hubb Community Kitchen which The Duchess supported this time last year). • Their Royal Highnesses have had an amazing first day in South Africa and are incredibly grateful for the wonderful welcome they have received. Thank You! Stay tuned for more updates and behind the scenes moments on tour! #RoyalVisitSouthAfrica • Photo ©️ SussexRoyal / Omid Scobie / PA images

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The Duke and Duchess’s visit was a joyous one, however, as they learned about the history and sampled the local Cape Malay delicacies which included samoosas, koesisters, and traditional potato pudding.