Prince Harry made a secret trip to African without Meghan Markle
Photos have emerged of Prince Harry on a solo trip to Africa, where he stayed at a luxury coastal retreat.
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Prince Harry secretly travelled to Africa without his family last week, it has been revealed.
The Duke of Sussex visited Rwanda as part of his role as President of African Parks but did not bring wife Meghan Markle and children, Archie, 3, and Lilbet, 1
Prince Harry, 37, hosted US officials, conservationists and philanthropists on a tour of the Bazaruto Archipelago, his spokesperson said.
He was photographed being received by Rwanda’s President, who later tweeted: “President Kagame received Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, who visited Rwanda as part of his work as President of African Parks.
“The Government of Rwanda has agreements with African Parks to manage Akagera and Nyungwe National Parks.”
African Parks manages about 20 national parks for several countries in South Africa, including Malawi, Zambia and Chad.
Prince Harry became the head of the conservation charity after volunteering in Malawi, where they relocated 500 elephants.
During the trip, he also paid respect to victims of the genocide against the Tutsi at the Kigali Genocide Memorial.
Photos shared by the memorial show the prince looking sombre as he viewed a wall with images of the dead.
The Prince’s secret trip comes after news the Sussexes will return to the UK for several charity events next month, where Netflix cameras are likely to follow them.
His arrival in Africa became public after he was photographed at the tropical paradise that is Vilanculos Beach Lodge, a $390-night hotel not far from the Bazaruto Archipelago National Park in south east Mozambique.
It’s understood the Duke took two flights to get to Africa, on ex-Heathrow and the other from Johannesburg.
Prince Harry met with Yassin Amuji, head of the Vilanculos tourism association, at the Lodge, where he was sympathetic to the areas lack of tourists.
“I explained to him how difficult things have been in the tourist industry because of Covid and he was very sympathetic and wished us well,” Ms Amuji said.
“He was simple and humble and very polite, even when guests at the hotel were coming up to take pictures.
“I have seen Prince Harry coming to this area since he was in his twenties and enjoying his holidays to Bazaruto. I know he will come back and hopefully bring his family next time.”
Mr Amuji said the Duke travelled parts of the archipelago by boat: “You can see a lot of wildlife that way”.
Prince Harry and Meghan considered setting up home in nearby Cape Town before deciding on their Californian mansion.
The Duke has many close friends who live in Botswana, and where the couple have toured many times.
“I managed to persuade her to come and join me in Botswana. We camped out with each other under the stars,” Prince Harry said after their engagement.
“She came and joined me for five days out there, where was absolutely fantastic. We were really by ourselves, which was crucial for me to make sure that we had a chance to know each other.”
BIG CHANGE FOR PRINCE WILLIAM, KATE’S KIDS
Prince William and Kate Middleton’s children will attend a fancy new $A12,000 per term school after the family moves to Windsor.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, both 40, confirmed in a Kensington Palace press release on Monday that Prince George, 9, and Princess Charlotte, 7, are set to leave Thomas’s Battersea in London for Lambrook School in Berkshire, where Prince Louis, 4, will also enrol.
“Their Royal Highnesses are hugely grateful to Thomas’s Battersea where George and Charlotte have had a happy start to their education since 2017 and 2019, respectively, and are pleased to have found a school for all three of their children which shares a similar ethos and values,” the statement read.
Lambrook School headmaster Jonathan Perry added in a statement of his own, “We are delighted that Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis will be joining us this coming September and very much look forward to welcoming the family, as well as all of our new pupils, to our school community.”
Ben Thomas, the principal of Thomas’s London Day Schools, gave his fond farewell and wished the little ones “happiness at success at their next schools and beyond.”
Mr Thomas said, “We would like to thank George, Charlotte and all of our leaving pupils for upholding the school’s values and for their many contributions to school life throughout their time at Thomas’s.”
Prince George began attending the prep school in 2017, and Princess Charlotte joined him two years later. Little Louis, meanwhile, attended Willcocks Nursery School in London.
News broke in June that Prince William, Kate Middleton and their children would be making the move to Windsor.
While the family of five will keep their home in London, Apartment 1A at Kensington Palace, and their estate in Norfolk, Anmer Hall, insiders say their home base will indeed be Windsor from now on as a way of stepping into their more senior royal roles.
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Originally published as Prince Harry made a secret trip to African without Meghan Markle
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