Royals

Harry touches down in Africa for charity tour

Harry touches down in Africa for charity tour

Prince Harry in Africa on his last visit in 2010.

Prince Harry only recently arrived back in the UK from a four-month tour of Afghanistan, but his itchy feet and charitable instincts have seen the prince travel to Africa on a three-day tour on behalf of his charity.

Harry is due to stop in Lesotho and South Africa where he will tour some of the projects set up by his charity, Sentebale.

Like mother like son: Prince Harry heading to Africa

He will spend the first two days on a private tour of Lesotho with close friend and charity co-founder Prince Seeiso, who Harry met while travelling on his gap year in 2006.

Following the Lesotho tour Harry will then fly on to Johannesburg for a fundraising dinner in aid of building the first permanent centre for children and young people suffering from HIV.

Of Lesotho’s population of just over two million, 40 per cent live under the international poverty line and according to 2009 figures more than 23 per cent of people aged over 15 in the country are infected by HIV/AIDS.

Harry and Seeiso set up Sentebale — which means “forget me not” in the country’s native language Sesotho — in the same year.

The name was chosen to pay tribute to Harry’s mother Diana who devoted much of her time to raising money for AIDS research.

The Prince last travelled to Lesotho in 2010 along with his brother William, when he told reporters he could see himself living in the area.

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“When I am here in Africa, I can be myself,” he told reporters.

Harry believed that setting up a project in one of the most proverty-stricken and marginalised areas of the world, he would be continuing his mother’s legacy.

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