SURF’S UP

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Hit the Beach in South Africa, Advocating for Mental Health and Surfing

Harry and Meghan, on day two of their African tour, met kids who escape the difficulties of township life by catching waves in the ocean.

It’s day two of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s royal tour of Africa, and the first stop for the couple was a surf school that provides vulnerable youngsters with an escape from the violence and stress of everyday life in South Africa.

Harry and Meghan looked relaxed and happy as they hugged and chatted to youngsters enrolled in the Waves for Change program, based on Monwabisi Beach, on the outskirts of Cape Town.

Meghan, who was casually dressed in a white shirt, a denim jacket (by Madewell), and black skinny jeans, at one stage sat down in the sand while talking to the children, while Harry took a boat ride with a squad of anti-poaching officials, who are trying to prevent the illegal collection of the rare shellfish abalone.

As previously noted by The Daily Beast, the Sussexes are losing few opportunities to remind the world of their advocacy for mental health, and Meghan said today: “No matter where you are in the world, if you’re a small community or a township, if you’re in a big city, everyone is dealing with a different version of the same thing.

“Globally I think there’s a bit of a consciousness crisis, and so the fact we’re able to be here together to see on the ground so much good work that’s being done, just because people are willing to talk to each other about it and someone’s willing to listen, is huge. We’re all sort of trying to power through and find some optimism.”

Harry added: “Everyone has experienced trauma or likely to experience trauma at some point during their lives. We need to try, not eradicate it, but to learn from previous generations so there’s not a perpetual cycle.”

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Tom SykesEuropean Editor at Large

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