Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Kick Off Tour of South Africa, Given African Name for Son Archie

*After months of planning, Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan arrived in South Africa Monday (Sept 23) for their official Royal Tour of Southern Africa. As noted the Sussex Royal Instagram page, the couple’s trip will focus on community, grassroots leadership, women’s and girls’ rights, mental health, HIV/AIDS and the environment. 

The royal couple left son Archie with a nanny during the first stop of their royal tour of Africa, but that didn’t stop the locals from presenting the proud parents with a gift for their baby boy. 

When The Duke and Duchess of Sussex hit up Cape Town’s Nyanga Township to take part in a workshop run by Justice Desk Project, Executive director Jessica Dewhurst announced Archie’s new African name.

“When your beautiful boy was born you gave him the name Archie,” she said. “The name Archie means ‘bravery and strength.’ So to welcome Archie home, your family at the Justice Desk has given him the traditional South African name Ntsika. This name of Xhosa African origin means ‘pillar of strength.’ May you always be a pillar of strength for those who need you.”

Dewhurst also presented the couple with a tiny sweatshirt with the words “Be a Voice for Justice” on the back because Archie’s a little “Justice Desk hero,” she said. 

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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

A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal) on Sep 23, 2019 at 10:54am PDT

The Justice Desk Project works to make women and children safer in Nyanga, teaching children about their rights, self-awareness and safety, per PEOPLE.

“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,” reads a caption of the Harry and Megan on IG.

The caption goes on to say: “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”

The statement concludes with a message from Duchess Meghan

“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.”

Peep the full IG post above, and scroll through images from their trip via the embed below. 

 

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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

A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal) on Sep 23, 2019 at 1:55pm PDT

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