Pretoria - British High Commissioner Nigel Casey confirmed that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will be visiting South Africa later this year.
Speaking at an event in Pretoria to mark the Queen's 93rd birthday he said the royals would come "in the autumn" - ie. the spring in South Africa.
This is the first official confirmation of the royal visit which is part of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's Southern African tour.
It is not clear at this stage if they will be received in Pretoria or Cape Town but they are expected to promote Sentebale, the charity Prince Harry started with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, and demining in Angola, a project close to Princess Diana's heart.
Earlier this year UK media reported that the royal couple hope to take a six-month "secondment" to Africa in the next few years.
The Sunday Times quoted a source as saying that courtiers had drawn up plans to send the royal "rock stars" abroad "for two to three years", combining their jobs as Commonwealth ambassadors with charity work and a role promoting Britain.
Botswana – which Harry has previously described as his "second home" – is one of the countries that has been suggested, as well as Malawi and South Africa. - Additional reporting from the Daily Mail