Meghan finds a kindred spirit in Mandela’s widow
AS A fellow trailblazer for women’s rights, it is little wonder the Duchess of Sussex hit it off with Nelson Mandela’s widow when the pair met yesterday. Meghan and Harry beamed while they chatted to Graca Machel as they wrapped up their tour of Africa – saying that they couldn’t wait to return.
And Mrs Machel, elegant in a printed blue dress, promised them they would work together in the future, saying that she could ‘feel the vibe’.
The Duke appeared equally taken as he introduced the 73-year- old campaigner to Meghan for the first time, saying: ‘You look amazing! How do you manage it?’
Mozambique-born Mrs Machel, an advocate for women’s and chilcan dren’s rights who was made an honorary British dame in 1997, was married to anti-apartheid political leader Mr Mandela from 1998 until his death in 2013.
The meeting came on the last day of the couple’s ten- day tour of southern Africa with their baby son, Archie. They were visiting Tembisa, one of Johannesburg’s biggest townships, to see youth employment services supported by British aid and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
They saw a polytunnel where gardeners were growing organic lettuces and a female-led firm, Blossom Care. Harry also gave an impassioned speech in which he called Africa his ‘second home’.
Praising the resilience of the continent’s people, he said: ‘Ever since I came to this continent as a young boy, trying to cope with something I never possibly describe, Africa has held me in an embrace that I will never forget, and I feel incredibly fortunate for that.’
Meghan added that they had loved their visit as a family. The couple also attended a garden party celebrating trade links between the UK and South Africa.
Harry highlighted the £10billion partnership between the two countries, adding: ‘Africa will always have a special place for me and my family, and I can’t wait to return.’
But it was his wife who earned the loudest applause as she spoke about gender- based violence, which has become a major issue in South Africa. She said: ‘As women we can listen to one another, and lift each other up, we can raise our boys to be men who value women. And for men and boys, you can lead by example and not let your mothers, daughters, sisters, wives and girlfriends ever feel that they are lesser than you.’ It came the day after Harry condemned the British media for what he described as a ‘relentless propaganda’ campaign against his wife. And in his speech yesterday, Harry laid out his and Meghan’s crusading credentials, saying: ‘We will firmly stand up for what we believe. We will always seek to challenge injustice and to speak out for those who may feel unheard.’ Last night the royals flew back to London with Archie on a scheduled flight from Johannesburg.
‘Africa has held me in an embrace’