CHAIRMAN: DR. KHALID BIN THANI AL THANI
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: DR. KHALID BIN MUBARAK AL-SHAFI

World / Middle East

Harry and Meghan to champion girls' education in Morocco's Atlas Mountains

Published: 24 Feb 2019 - 12:46 pm | Last Updated: 02 Nov 2021 - 10:36 am
Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, are welcomed by British Ambassador to Morocco Thomas Reilly and his wife Alix, at the Casablanca Airport in Casablanca, Morocco, February 23, 2019. REUTERS/Hannah McKay/Pool

Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, are welcomed by British Ambassador to Morocco Thomas Reilly and his wife Alix, at the Casablanca Airport in Casablanca, Morocco, February 23, 2019. REUTERS/Hannah McKay/Pool

By Hannah McKay / Reuters

ASNI, Morocco, Britain's Prince Harry and his pregnant wife Meghan will show their support for rural girls' education in Morocco's Atlas Mountains on Sunday.

The visit at the request of the British government is the second to the kingdom in recent years by a member of the royal family, following a trip by Prince Charles in 2011. Queen Elizabeth visited Morocco in 1980.

Harry and Meghan arrived in Casablanca on Saturday evening. In the Atlas Mountains on Sunday they will meet girls at a boarding house run by Education for All, an NGO that builds dormitories near schools to reduce school drop-out rates among girls aged 12 to 18.

"Their Royal Highnesses will see work being done to promote girl’s education, empower young people and support children from disadvantaged backgrounds," Kensington Palace said.

The couple are expected to tour the boarding house and a Henna ceremony will be performed on Meghan.

While in Asni, Harry and Meghan will meet local high school students and teachers and afterwards attend a football game.

On Monday, the Duke and Duchess will attend an equestrian event in the capital Rabat involving horse therapy for children with special needs, followed by a cooking event and a meeting with young social entrepreneurs.

The couple is also expected to meet a member of the Moroccan royal family later in the day at a palace in Rabat.