Publications
Partners
Cape Town – While Duchess Meghan carried out various engagements in Cape Town on Wednesday, His Royal Highness kicked off the second leg of the Sussex Royal Tour of Africa by travelling to Botswana, with his first engagement on Thursday, planting trees in Chobe National Park with 200 children from local primary schools.
According to the Sussex Royal Instagram account, Prince Harry planted a baobab – a plant severely under threat across Africa but will now live for 1000 years – while each child who joined him grew their sapling from seeds, all in the hope of restoring the Chobe Forest Reserve.
They were all grown in recycled milk tins from the elephant orphanage, using fertilised soil from the orphans' dung.
The people of Botswana rely on the Chobe River, but the Chobe National Park is home to a huge elephant population – more than 17 0000 – so securing the forest, so people have access to the river and the elephants have a place to call home is critical.
Prince Harry said it best when he met with the founder of Elephants Without Borders, and his close friend, Dr Mike Chase, "If you look after nature, it will look after you."
While in Botswana, before departing for Angola the duke will also pay a visit to a local project run by his charity Sentebale, that focuses on improving the mental health of young people living with HIV after which he'll further facilitate discussions around wildlife conservation.
His Royal Highness serves as President of African Parks and Patron of Rhino Conservation Botswana, so calling Africa his second home, these causes are especially close to his heart.
The evening before he left Cape Town, the duke met with young South Africans doing amazing things to change the world. One of them was Hunter Mitchell, who told Channel24's Bashiera Parker about the work he's doing that so impressed the patron of Rhino Conservation.
On meeting His Royal Highness Hunter said he was "so honoured" and "so excited" and called the Duke and Duchess the "kindest people".
Prince Harry also accepted a teddy from Hunter on behalf of Archie. It was the teeny-tiniest plush rhino.
(A GIFT FOR MASTER ARCHIE: Hunter Mitchell didn't forget about the littlest royal when he handed Prince Harry a plush rhino. Photo: Bashiera Parker)
