Duke and Duchess of Sussex celebrate
Nelson Mandela's centenary at London exhibition
The Duchess of
Sussex beamed at an exhibition charting the life, career and politics of one of
her heroes - Nelson Mandela.
She was joined by her husband
the Duke, whose family had a close relationship with the former statesman, who
campaigned throughout his life to end South Africa's apartheid regime.
Mandela and the Queen built
up a firm friendship, with South Africa's former president calling her
"Lizzie" according to his daughter Zindzi Mandela.
Harry has
visited a number of sites associated with Mandela, from his prison cell on
Robben Island in 2008, where he was imprisoned for 18 years, to a tour of the
statesman's offices, where he met his widow Graca Machel, in 2015.
Around 300 people were
invited inside on Tuesday, including Mandela's goddaughter Tanya von Ahlefeldt,
who managed to capture a stunning photograph of the royal couple in front of
December 6 2013 The Daily Telegraph front page, the day after the great
man died.
She told The
Telegraph the Duke and Duchess were "beautifully
elegant" and that the event was "fabulous" and a "great
tribute" to the great man, who would have been 100 on Wednesday, July 18.
Mandela's former Robben Island
prison mate has praised the Duke and Duchess' visit, saying it shows
the monarchy supported their "struggle for freedom".
Andrew Mlangeni, 93, joked he
would not wash his hand for a month after meeting Meghan and Harry, who said
they were "absolutely thrilled" to be invited to the launch of the
attraction chronicling the life of the former South African president.
Doreen Lawrence, now a peer in
the House of Lords, was among the invited guests as was Mr Mandela's
granddaughter Zamaswazi Dlamini-Mandela, who said the royal visit would attract
a younger generation to learn more about her grandfather.
When asked about the
importance of members of the monarchy visiting the exhibition, Mr Mlangeni, who
was imprisoned by the apartheid regime on the notorious Robben Island, replied:
"Shows somewhere in their hearts they were behind the struggle for
freedom."
He added, laughing:
"When I shook their hands I said for the whole month I'm not going to wash
my hand - I never thought I would meet royalty."
Harry and Meghan toured the
exhibition that brings Mr Mandela's life and activism alive with striking black
and white photographs from the period, along with artefacts and documents
helping to tell the story.
In 1962, Mr Mandela was
arrested for conspiring to overthrow the apartheid state and sentenced to life
imprisonment in the Rivonia Trial.
He served 27 years in prison,
split between Robben Island, Pollsmoor Prison, and Victor Verster Prison.
Amid growing domestic and international
pressure as well as increased fears of a racial civil war, then-president FW de
Klerk released him in 1990.
During their visit, Harry and
Meghan - who wore an outfit by House of Nonie - were shown a Complete Works Of
Shakespeare that became a prized possession among the Robben Island prisoners,
and many signed their names alongside their favourite verse.
Mandela chose a quote
from Julius Caesar which began: "Cowards die many times before their
deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once."
The
Duke and Duchess also chatted to the statesman's friend and political ally Paul
Joseph and his wife Adelaide during their tour of the exhibition at the
Southbank Centre's Queen Elizabeth Hall.
After the tour, leading
former anti-apartheid campaigner Lord Peter Hain, who is chair of the Nelson
Mandela Centenary Exhibition, contrasted the Queen's relationship with the
former statesman with US president Donald Trump, who met the monarch last Friday.
He told the invited guests:
"Her Majesty the Queen had a particularly strong personal relationship
with Nelson Mandela. When he paid a state visit in 1996 it was a terrific
occasion, you could see how close they were. Very different from the one last
week, I might add - but that's by the way.
"And during his 90th
birthday party celebrated here in London, Her Majesty the Queen phoned Nelson
Mandela in the middle of his party and he was handed the phone and said: 'Hello
Elizabeth, how's the duke?'
"After which his wife
Graca Machel scolded him, saying: 'You cannot refer to Her Majesty the Queen on
first name terms,' to which he replied: 'But she calls me Nelson."'
Lord Hain said later they had
invited the royal couple as the statesman was one of Meghan's heroes and Harry
had charitable interests in southern Africa through his organisation Sentebale,
which helps disadvantaged young people and youngsters living with HIV.
The Duke has also visited a
number of sites associated with Mr Mandela, from his Robben Island prison cell
in 2008, where he was imprisoned for 18 years, to a tour of the statesman's
offices, where he met his widow, Ms Machel, in 2015.
Ms Dlamini-Mandela said:
"Today's event is hugely significant - not only because we are here to
celebrate the life of a great man in history, but also because we are able to
educate the next generation, that we must never repeat the mistakes of the
past.
"The visit of their royal
highnesses Harry and Meghan is a great honour. Their support for justice and
fairness in the world makes them a shining example for the youth of today and
tomorrow."
Lord Hain said after the
visit: "They were absolutely thrilled to be here and they said so, they
used that term.
"They were so engaged, I
think both know a lot about the history of Nelson Mandela, but when you come to
something like this you understand what he went through."
