Jane Goodall Said Prince Harry Originally Wanted to Raise Archie in Africa

The continent has always held a special place in the royal's heart.

While Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s oldest son, Archie, has already seen a great deal of the world between residing in Montecito, California and visiting family homes in and Canada and the U.K, it appears he and his younger sister, Lilibet, almost grew up in an entirely different exotic location altogether.

According to the Daily Mail, per Tatler, Jane Goodall, the famous primatologist and anthropologist and Harry’s longtime friend, reportedly revealed the Duke of Sussex’s former dream, explaining that “he wanted to bring Archie up in Africa, running barefoot with African children.”

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Although the Sussexes ultimately decided to settle down in Central California in July 2020, shortly after stepping away from their royal duties in March of that year, Africa has played an important role in the couple’s relationship and remains close to them to this day.

In addition to Botswana serving as a milestone location for the pair — where Prince Harry first realized he “had found a soulmate,” in Meghan while they “camped out with each other under the stars” — the continent is also home to a charity Harry co-founded called Sentebale, which aims to help children in Africa affected by poverty, HIV/AIDS, and inequality.

During a speech in honor of Nelson Mandela Day on July 18, Harry opened up further about the special place Africa holds in his heart. “For most of my life, it has been my lifeline, a place where I found peace and healing time and time again,” he revealed. “It’s where I felt closest to my mother and sought solace after she died, and where I knew I had found a soulmate in my wife.”

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