Meghan Markle to speak about violence against women on South African royal tour: report
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Meghan Markle will speak out about “gender violence” when she arrives in South Africa on Monday for the royal tour.
The Duchess of Sussex, 38, intends to raise the issue within hours of arriving in Cape Town with Prince Harry.
The royal couple is to visit an impoverished township on the first morning of their 10-day visit to Africa, following a series of murders of women in South Africa.
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There have been national protests held in the country over the past few weeks following the deaths.
One of the victims was 19-year-old student Uyinene Mrwetyana, who was raped and then battered to death with some scales from a post office.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}According to the World Health Organization, the country’s rate of women being murdered is five times the global average.
Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, waves as she leaves a department store after launching the Smart Works capsule collection in London. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
While royal family members typically tend to avoid getting involved with the politics of countries they are visiting, sources claim the Sussexes will speak out on the violence.
A source told the Daily Mail: “It would be strange for them not to address it in the current climate given how much of their official program, particularly the duchess’s, is about women and women’s issues.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“But it will, of course, be done respectfully.”
The palace confirmed: “Harry and Meghan will begin their tour in a township in Cape Town where the royals will view a workshop that teaches children about their rights, self-awareness, and safety and which provides self-defense classes and female empowerment training to young girls in the community.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Buckingham Palace revealed the parents would fly with baby Archie to Cape Town on September 23.
And after a number of public appearances together, mum Meghan, 38, is expected to stay in Johannesburg with Archie while Prince Harry goes to Botswana, Angola, and Malawi.
According to a royal source, Meghan and Harry "hope to" give fans a glimpse of their son during the tour, but baby Archie has not been included in the official schedule. As part of the tour, Prince Harry, 35, will also meet a British military unit who are working alongside the local rangers to help combat the threat of the illegal wildlife trade in Malawi.
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The new dad will also make a "significant and poignant" trip to Angola to see his mum Princess Diana's legacy, who helped raise awareness for the threat posed by landmines in 1997.
The palace said that while Prince Harry is eager to "support young people across Africa to reach their potential", wife Meghan will also be "working with organizations to promote women's education, health, entrepreneurship, and leadership."
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The couple is also expected to meet Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Mrs. Tutu at their legacy foundation.
They will also speak with Grace Machel, the widow of the late President Nelson Mandela, before the tour finishes on October 2.