Duchess Meghan's duties arranged around Archie

Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, holds her son Archie, as she meets Archbishop Desmond Tutu (not pictured) at the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation in Cape Town. Picture: REUTERS/Toby Melville/Pool

Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, holds her son Archie, as she meets Archbishop Desmond Tutu (not pictured) at the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation in Cape Town. Picture: REUTERS/Toby Melville/Pool

Published Oct 2, 2019

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The Duchess of Sussex's official engagements in Africa have been arranged around her son's needs, which she appreciates.

The former actress - who was known as Meghan Markle before her marriage to Prince Harry - has been accompanied by four-month-old Archie while she and her spouse tour the region and though she admitted she's had a "full plate" to contend with, she's grateful concessions have been made for her family life.

Speaking after a visit to see the work of charity ActionAid, she said: "On my goodness, well, we're doing well. I think the schedule--they have been very kind to me, because everything is based around Archie's feed times. So it's a full plate, but we're making it work. It's worth it."

Meghan has found her trip "powerful" and very "special" because both she and her husband - who has been visiting Botswana, Angola and Malawi without her - have been able to spend time highlighting causes that are important to them.

She said: "Being able to be in Africa and South Africa--it's my first time being in this country--has been really powerful.

"And Harry has continued on in a couple [of] other countries--we are reuniting today, which I can't wait for, I miss him so much!--but I think for us it has been a really special trip, because you get to see when you're focusing on the causes that are really important to us, you can see that the impact is good, and it feels meaningful."

The former "Suits" star described her duties as a royal as "an incredible responsibility that I take really seriously."

During the trip, Meghan has spoken several times about women's empowerment and gender-based violence and she admitted it has been particularly "important" for her to focus on such issues.

She said: "It's been very important to me for a long time to focus on women's and girls' rights, and especially their empowerment. So to be able to see this from afar, and then now see the work that's being done on the ground--I think what's really key is to focus on the work that needs to be done, but also how much incredible work is being done, and to be able to be here and help support those people who are really actively working to champion the rights of women and girls."

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