Meghan Markle wears headscarf in public for the first time then helps another woman with her head covering on Cape Town mosque visit with Prince Harry on royal couple’s Africa tour
The Duchess of Sussex today donned a headscarf as she joined her husband at South Africa’s first and oldest mosque.
To mark Heritage Day, a public holiday in South Africa when the nation celebrates its culture, diversity and traditions, the Duke and Duchess paid a visit to the historic Auwal Mosque in Bo-Kaap, Cape Town.
Meghan changed out of her casual clothes and covered her head with a scarf and wore a floor-length gown – and even helped a lady with her headscarf once inside the mosque.
The couple were met by Imam Sheikh Ismail Londt and Muslim community leader, Mohamed Groenwald and a group of faith leaders, including a representative of the Church of England, the Chief Rabbi and Jewish, Christian and Muslim youth leaders, and students who participated in the London-Cape Town interfaith exchange.
The couple opened talks on ‘interfaith dialogue’ before going on a walkabout in the lively Bo-Kaap neighbourhood.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive at Auwal Mosque, the first and oldest mosque in South Africa
Once inside the mosque, the Duchess did not hesitate to help another woman with her headscarf
Prince Harry also stopped to take his shoes off before heading inside the oldest mosque in South Africa
Meghan had changed out of her casual clothes and covered her head with a scarf and wore a long gown that swept the floor. Prince Harry also stopped to take his shoes off before heading inside
Harry and Meghan hugged youngsters as they walked through the colourful and multicultural neighbourhood of Bo-Kaap
The Duchess of Sussex playfully chatted to youngsters in the mosque as Harry listened in
The Duchess of Sussex meets an excited young wellwisher as she was gifted flowers, cards and presents
Harry and Meghan meeting Father Lapsley, an Anglican leader. Born in New Zealand, he moved to South Africa to campaign for equal rights. He lost both hands and the sight in one eye in a letter bomb attack. It was sent by the Civil Cooperation Bureau, a covert outfit of the apartheid security forces
The couple joined in with Heritage Day, a celebration of the great diversity of cultures, beliefs and traditions in South Africa, on day two of their tour
The Duke and Duchess attend a reception for young people, community and civil society leaders at the Residence of the British High Commissioner in Cape TownHarry and Meghan arrive at Auwal Mosque in South Africa’s Bo-KaapLoaded: 0%Progress: 0%0:00PreviousPlaySkipMuteCurrent Time0:00/Duration Time1:00FullscreenNeed Text
Libo Metel, 11, hugged both Meghan and Harry when they stopped to talk to crowds waiting for them in the historic Bo Kaap neighbourhood.
She said of her meeting with Meghan: ‘I gave her a flower, a yellow rose and she said ‘can I get a hug? ‘You’re the sweetest person in the world and I’m like ‘what the heck?!’ and then I gave her a hug and then the prince asked me ‘did you give her a hug?’ and he gave me a hug too.’
Asked who had the best hug, Libo replied: ‘The queen! Meghan. I felt the love and the care.
Royal couple visit the first and oldest mosque in South Africa
Built in 1794 during the British occupation of the Cape of Good Hope, the Auwal Mosque is the first and oldest mosque in South Africa.
Leaders at the mosque say this is backed by evidence within ‘very strong oral tradition’ which confirms that Imam Abdullah Kadi Abdus Salaam, also known as Tuan Guru, was the first Imam at the Masjid.
The Auwal Masjid came into existence in 1794 during the first British occupation of the Cape of Good Hope and was the main religious institution during the years 1804 until 1850.
It is also the first to have practiced most of the Cape Muslim traditions.
The Auwal Masjid is a symbol of the struggle of Cape Muslims for the recognition of Islam and their freedom to worship.
The mosque was built on land belonging to the freed slave Coridon van Ceylon.
‘I felt very special. It was just awesome. Everybody has had a good time seeing them.’
Libo was with a group called Brave, which provides rehabilitation through yoga and meditation to people with limited mobility due to physical trauma or injury.
Volunteers from the Bo Kaap organisation handed the royal visitors packages of handmade soaps and bracelets to take with them and explained their work to yoga-fan Meghan.
Volunteer Indrani McMillan said: ‘They looked so happy, they looked so taken with the vibe. It’s so amazing, they really know how to stir up a party effect.’
Women do not have to cover their heads in all mosques, but it is usually considered a sign of respect. Many Islamic places of worship provide headscarves for non-believers to wear when they visit.
This morning the couple had heaped praised on each other’s parenting skills as they labelled one another ‘the best mum’ and ‘the best dad’.
Earlier in the day they had visited Monwabisi Beach on the outskirts of Cape Town, to learn about the work of Waves For Change, which helps vulnerable children from township and challenging communities through the power of surfing.
They also heard about the Lunchbox Fund, one of four charities to benefit from public donations made following the birth of their son Archie, who has joined his parents in South Africa for his first official royal tour.
The Duchess hugged and joked with youngsters before the couple were asked to declare their personal strengths during a ‘power hand’ bonding exercise – but Harry cheekily ducked the task and invited his wife to share instead.
Meghan, 38, looked bashful as she tried to think of something and laughed as she said dancing as not her strong point, but suggested parenting was a new strength that she and Harry, 35, were ‘learning and developing’.
Turning to her husband, she declared him ‘the best dad’, while Harry – who smiled and looked his wife in the eye with a loving ‘ahhh’ – called her ‘the best mum’ before they shared a tender kiss in front of the crowd. Meghan wears headscarf on visit to South African.
In her third outfit change of the day, the Duchess wore a striped floor-length gown
The couple ended the day at the Residence of the British High Commissioner in Cape Town
While Prince Harry kept his suit and shirt on – a similar one to the J Crew suit he sported yesterday – his wife changed into a stunning evening dress
The Duchess later swapped her cream headscarf for a pretty purple flower
Upon leaving the mosque, the Duke and Duchess walked through the colourful and multicultural neighbourhood of Bo-Kaap on Heritage Day
Meghan warmly greeted a woman inside Auwul Mosque in Bo-Kaap this afternoon
The couple enjoyed an animated chat over lunch at a family home in the Bo-Kaap neighbourhood
Meghan kindly helped a lady put her headscarf in place when they were inside the mosque
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex take a drink as they visit a family in the Bo Kaap are
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex sit with local residents in the Bo Kaap area of Cape Town to mark Heritage Day
The pair posed with a musician after they had visited the oldest mosque in South Africa