More details of Harry and Meghan’s first royal tour as a family have been released, with expectations that it could be the next time we see their son Archie in public. 

The couple will visit Southern Africa between 23 September and 2 October, at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will visit Cape Town and Johannesburg in South Africa together, with the Duke also taking a short working trip to Botswana and travelling to Angola and Malawi.

In a statement the palace said: “This will be Their Royal Highnesses’ first official tour as a family.

“Not only will this visit serve as an opportunity for The Duke and Duchess to highlight many of the causes they have been involved with for many years, it will demonstrate a modern UK-Africa partnership in action.”

The statement added that Prince Harry’s love for Africa is “well known”, with the duke first visiting the continent aged 13.

It said more than two decades later, “the people, culture, wildlife and resilient communities continue to inspire and motivate him every day”.

The trip will take them into townships to look at issues around youth empowerment and unemployment, and on to beaches to look at plastic pollution.

Prince Harry will draw attention to the dangers of land mines in Angola, going back to the spot his mother Princess Diana visited before she died in 1997.

The couple will meet Nelson Mandela’s widow Mrs Graca Machel, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, both of whom Harry met on this last royal tour to South Africa in 2015.

Meghan will also carry out solo engagements focusing on supporting female entrepreneurs and promoting higher education.

Harry and Meghan are said to be looking forward to “meeting inspirational women in the region” and supporting “young people across Africa in reaching their full potential”.

Buckingham Palace says it is hoping the Duke and Duchess’s five month old son Archie will also make a public appearance but are still ironing out the details of when it may be best for him to appear alongside his mum and dad.

The family will arrive in Cape Town privately after flying in on a commercial plane.

It comes after a summer of headlines criticising them for using private jets to fly to France and Ibiza while also promoting environmental causes.

Earlier this week when asked about how he travels Prince Harry said: “I spend 99% of my life travelling the world by commercial. Occasionally there needs to be an opportunity based on a unique circumstance to ensure that my family are safe.”

Last week on the couple’s Instagram account Prince Harry wrote of his excitement about taking his family to Africa posting: “In just a few weeks our family will be taking its first official tour to Africa, a region that over the past two decades has been a second home to me.

“Our team has helped create a meaningful programme that we’re so excited to share with you. On a personal note, I can’t wait to introduce my wife and son to South Africa! We’ll see all of you very soon.”

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