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Archie Harrison is embarking on his first royal tour! Months after welcoming their first child, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will bring their son with them on their first tour as a family later this year. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will visit South Africa this autumn at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Buckingham Palace announced on Thursday, June 27.
Archie will join his parents, Meghan and Harry, on their royal tour of South Africa this autumn
During the tour, Harry will visit Angola and Malawi, in addition to a working visit to Botswana. “The Duke and Duchess are really looking forward to meeting so many of you on the ground and continuing to raise awareness of the high impact work local communities are doing across the commonwealth and beyond,” the royal couple penned on social media, adding, "This will be their first official tour as a family!"
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Confirmation of the tour comes one day after British High Commissioner Nigel Casey revealed that the Duke and Duchess will visit Africa. It was previously reported that Harry will carry on his mother Princess Diana’s legacy during the trip, highlighting the continuing problems from land mines. The late Princess of Wales famously walked through an active land mine area in Angola wearing a visor and vest prior to her death.
Africa holds a special place in Harry and Meghan's hearts. The pair traveled to Botswana early on in their relationship, and again before getting engaged in 2017. Botswana is also where the Duke sourced the center diamond of Meghan's engagement ring, which recently underwent a redesign—so it's no surprise the couple wants to introduce their son to the continent.
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Meghan went on her first royal tour in 2018, while pregnant with Archie
Harry and the former American actress welcomed Archie on May 6, and introduced him to the world a few days later at Windsor Castle. Archie's upcoming trip abroad will mark a royal milestone for Queen Elizabeth's great-grandson. The tour will also be a bit of a full circle moment for the Duchess. Meghan carried out her first tour last October, months after her royal wedding, visiting Australia, Fiji, Tonga, and New Zealand with Harry. On the eve of the tour, Kensington Palace announced that the Suits alum was expecting her first child.