Prince Harry is honoring his late mother, Princess Diana, during his ten-day royal tour of Africa.
Today, the Duke of Sussex, 35, left behind his family and made a solo trip to Botswana, a place he holds close to his heart. While there, Prince Harry recalled the time he visited the African country shortly after his mother was tragically killed in 1997.
When he visited the banks of the Chobe River, Prince Harry admitted that his visits to Botswana helped him through one of the toughest times in his life. “I came here in 1997 or 1998 straight after my mum died,” he said, according to E! News. “So, it was a nice place to get away from it all.”
The royal went on to say that he’ll forever cherish the memories he’s made in Africa. “Fifteen years I’ve been coming here. It’s a sense of escapism—a real sense of purpose,” he added. “I have some of my closest friends here over the years.”
Prince Harry concluded his walk down memory lane by confirming that he feels “deeply connected to this place and to Africa.”
During his visit to Botswana, Prince Harry planted trees alongside 200 young students at Chobe National Park. He also met with his close pal Dr. Mike Chase, who is the founder of Elephants Without Borders, a charity dedicated to helping the elephants and people of Botswana.
Welp, we love this so much.
