Prince Harry is known for keeping time away from his family to a minimum. Since settling in Montecito with Meghan Markle and their children, Prince Archie
Prince Harry is known for keeping time away from his family to a minimum. Since settling in Montecito with Meghan Markle and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, the Duke of Sussex has often made only brief visits abroad — such as his whirlwind trip to London for King Charles’s coronation and his short stop to see his father following his cancer diagnosis.
So it came as a surprise when the California-based royal recently spent over a week away from home during a solo trip to Africa — a continent he holds close to his heart.
A Journey with Purpose: From Angola to Botswana
Harry’s trip began in Angola, where he revisited the work of The HALO Trust, a charity focused on clearing landmines and explosive remnants from former war zones. The cause has deep personal significance for Harry, as it was famously championed by his late mother, Princess Diana, who walked through a minefield in Angola in 1997 to raise awareness.
But instead of returning home directly after his official engagements, Harry reportedly made a personal detour — to Botswana.
Harry’s Deep Connection to Botswana
Prince Harry has long described Botswana as a place of healing and refuge. He first visited the country in 1997 or 1998, shortly after the death of his mother.
“It was a nice place to get away from it all,” he once said. “It’s a sense of escapism — a real sense of purpose… I have some of my closest friends here.”
One of those friends is Tania “TJ” Jenkins — a wildlife filmmaker whom Harry affectionately refers to as his “second mum.”
During his most recent trip, it’s believed he visited Tania privately, reconnecting with someone who played a key maternal role in his life following Diana’s death.
A Bond Forged in the Wilderness
Tania and her husband, Mike Holding, first met Harry during his younger years in Botswana, when he was dating Chelsy Davy. The couple quickly became influential figures in his life, providing guidance, mentorship, and a deep connection to wildlife conservation.
In his memoir Spare, Harry fondly recalled his first impression of Tania:
“Both Teej and Mike were talented, brilliant, and wholly devoted to wildlife. I wanted to spend as much time as possible with these two, not just on this trip but in general.
“The problem was, would they let me? I’d often catch Teej looking in my direction, sizing me up, a curious smile on her face — as though I were something wild that had unexpectedly wandered into their camp. But instead of shooing me, or using me, as many would’ve done, she reached out and… petted me.”
It’s clear the bond between them runs deep, shaped by a shared love of Africa, conservation, and a mutual understanding of life lived in the public eye.
A Rare Moment of Solitude
While Meghan and the children remained in California, Prince Harry’s time in Botswana appears to have been a deeply personal retreat — a rare moment to reconnect with both nature and those who have quietly supported him for decades.
The visit underscores the importance of Africa in Harry’s life, not just as a place of charitable focus, but as a sanctuary — and a second home.
