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Prince Harry's New Instagram Shows Just How Excited He Is For His Trip With Meghan & Archie

by Mary Kate McGrath
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The Sussex family will soon go international. On Sunday, Prince Harry's message about his family's Africa tour on Instagram showed how excited he is for their first trip abroad since baby Archie's arrival. In June, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced that they had been asked to visit South Africa in the fall on Instagram, revealing that the tour would be their first official philanthropic trip as a family. Archie, who was born on May 7, will be joining his mother and father on the tour for the first time.

Ahead of the family's departure, Prince Harry shared a special message for fans on Instagram, writing:

"'In just a few weeks our family will be taking its first official tour to Africa, a region of the world 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.' - The Duke"

The Sussex Royal account went on to detail the family's itinerary, including which countries in Africa that Prince Harry, Markle, and Archie will visit. The caption read, "For the official tour, the family will be visiting South Africa together and The Duke will be carrying out visits to Malawi, Angola, and Botswana."

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex often spotlight notable organizations on their Instagram at the start of each month, according to People. In honor of the family's time abroad, the couple also used the post to raise awareness for philanthropic efforts across Africa. The couple wrote:

"As a lead up to the tour, for the month of September, we wish to celebrate the beauty of this wonderful continent as a whole: from local organisations working hard to better the environment, to the young leaders paving the way for a better future for the Commonwealth and beyond."

Among the listed charities are a humanitarian landmine clearance NGO HALO Trust, the African Wildlife Foundation, a collective of photographers living and working on the continent called Everyday Africa, and more.

Africa has a special significance for the Duke and Duchess. In 2016, Markle and Prince Harry traveled to Botswana, just several weeks after meeting, according to People. In 2017, the couple returned to the country to assist Elephants Without Borders, an organization which tracks elephants in order to prevent poaching. In August, the Sussexes posted never-before seen photos from the trip on Instagram, encouraging followers to get involved with the organization's work in honor of National Elephant Day.

Prince Harry has long focused on conservation efforts in Africa, even before the couple traveled to Botswana together, as per People. He is the president of African Parks and is a patron of the Rhino Conservation of Botswana. Markle also took part in social awareness campaigns in Africa before dating Prince Harry, according to People. In 2016, she was a Global Ambassador for World Vision Canada, and traveled to Rwanda for the Clean Water Campaign.

In the Sussex Royal Instagram Story, The Duke and Duchess revealed that the family's departure will be in 21 days. It's clear the Markle, Prince Harry, and Baby Archie are already anticipating the tour, and want fans to follow along with their philanthropic efforts before and after the trip.