Prince Harry and Meghan Markle planted forget-me-nots in honour of Princess Diana during a visit to a preschool in Los Angeles on the 23rd anniversary of her death yesterday.
The Duke, 35, and Duchess of Sussex, 39, are currently living in their $14 million mansion in Santa Barbara having officially stepped back from royal duty in March.
The couple could be seen digging with trowels into dirt and planting flowers as they visited the at risk children in Los Angeles, with Prince Harry and Meghan also planting forget-me-not-seeds in memory of Princess Diana.
According to the couple’s biographer Omid Scobie, the couple went on to play nursery rhymes in the garden with the youngsters and also spent time reading books about gardening and vegetables.’
Prince Harry and Meghan have reportedly previously volunteered at the centre with this visit coinciding with the anniversary of Princess Diana’s passing.
In the photographs, the couple, who wore masks during their visit, could be seen bending down into the soil as they carefully replanted the garden.
Meghan sat cross-legged and dug her hands into the soil as she helped children water plants at the preschool centre.
Meanwhile Prince Harry carefully depotted flowers and plants while speaking to the youngsters at the school.
The Assistance League of Los Angeles shared snaps of the couple’s visit to the preschool centre and said it was a ‘wonderful surprise’
Sharing images of their visit online, the Assistance League LA tweeted: ‘The children of our Preschool Learning Center got a wonderful surprise when The Duke and Duchess of Sussex visited yesterday.’
They continued: ‘In addition to helping the children replant the Preschool Learning Center’s garden, they spent time with them, sharing their appreciation for nature and helping to instill the importance of healthy eating.
‘We truly appreciate their time and care for our students.’
It comes after Prince Harry said he is ‘loving’ his ‘fantastic’ new life in the US and said he wants to teach Archie how to play rugby in the garden of his $14 million mansion.
The Duke of Sussex , 35, joined a virtual call from his $14 million mansion in Santa Barbara where he is currently living with Meghan Markle , 39, and son Archie, one
The Duke joined a virtual call alongside staff and volunteers from the Rugby Football League where he was asked by Ellery Hanley MBE if he is enjoying life in the US, to which he said: ‘Oh easy question. I am loving it. It’s fantastic.’
Meanwhile Prince Harry joked it is ‘impossible’ to get hold of any rugby balls in the states, saying: ‘What I need is a few mini rugby balls that I can get Archie involved with the game…I’ve got a little bit of space outside which we’re fortunate enough to have,’
He said: ‘I need to get him playing some rugby league, but I am unbelievably fortunate and grateful to have outdoor space and see my son outside as I know so many people haven’t had that chance in the last five months.’
The Duke went on to add: ‘Our little man is our number one priority and then our work is our second priority to play our part to make the world a better place.’
Harry also added that he was ‘constantly aware of’ people who are ‘stuck in high rise blocks of flats and can’t even see outside space’ adding that ‘these last five months play a huge part in the next five-ten years as far as mental health is concerned’.
The video was released to mark Rugby League’s 125th birthday.
The royal joked it was ‘impossible’ to get hold of any rugby balls in the states, as he added he was ‘unbelievably fortunate’ to have space outside to see his son play. Harry, Meghan and Archie are pictured in South Africa last year
The Duke added: ‘All of use take so much for granted and so many people have said Covid is a virus and it doesn’t discriminate between classes and it’s like, no, I’ve spoken to people and I know a lot of people who are stuck in high rise flats and they can’t even see outdoors, they can’t even see a bit of grass.
‘I am constantly aware of that, though it’s not my environment, that’s one thing we need to be constantly aware of for the next 10, 15 years as far as mental health is concerned.
‘This is why again I think that the Rugby League community and any community who have spent time together need to know what they’re looking out for.’
He continued: ‘You may be fine, you may have a garden, you may have a space, you may be feeling wow this is really hard, but take that moment and go “wow, if it’s hard for me, how must it be for other people as well”
The Duke is currently living in his $14 million mansion in Santa Barbara with Meghan Markle, 39, and their son Archie, one
‘We’ve got a whole Rugby League world cup coming next year. I definitely plan on coming back. I would have been back already had it not been for Covid.’
Ellery Hanley, who was questioning the Duke, is former Rugby League player and the first Black head coach of a major UK sports team.
Prince Harry’s latest comments about ‘loving’ life in the US come after it emerged he and Meghan are ‘likely’ to spend an ‘extended period of time in the UK next year’ in order to attend Trooping the Colour and the unveiling of the new Princess Diana statue.
Omid Scobie, co-author of bombshell biography Finding Freedom, said the Duke, 35, and Duchess of Sussex, 39, had ‘many reasons to be based in the UK’ in the spring and summer of 2021.
Speaking on the Heirpod podcast, Omid said: ‘In March, we have the Invictus Games, which has been rescheduled, in the Hague. In June, we have Trooping the Colour, which I imagine Prince Harry and Meghan would like to still be at, and July 1, we have the unveiling of the [Princess Diana] statue.’
Speaking on the podcast, Omid revealed: ‘I would not be surprised if we saw the Sussexes spend an extended period of time in the UK next year.’
He went on to discuss several engagements for the couple spanning across the spring and summer period, including appearances in The Hague and the UK, before adding: ‘There are many reasons for them to be based in the UK for that period, depending on whether travel will be back to normal.’
It comes after Omid Scobie said Meghan and Prince Harry are likely to spend ‘an extended period of time in the UK next year’ to attend Trooping the Colour and the unveiling of the new Princess Diana statue