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Royal wedding: Prince Harry reportedly flew African orphan he met 14 years ago over for wedding

THE new Duke of Sussex took it upon himself to make sure an old friend attended his wedding. Who it was will melt your heart.
Prince Harry reportedly flew African orphan he met 14 years ago over for wedding. Picture: BBCSource:Supplied

Prince Harry reportedly flew African orphan he met 14 years ago over for wedding. Picture: BBCSource:Supplied

AN orphan Prince Harry befriended in Africa 14 years ago and flew over specially for the wedding was among the first guests to greet Meghan Markle after the couple tied the knot, The Sun reported.

The Duke of Sussex met Mutsu Potsane, who lives in Lesotho, in 2004 when he was just 19-years-old, and instantly struck up a close bond with the boy, who was aged four at the time. The Prince was taking part in a gap-year stay in the landlocked African country at the time.

Mutsu was specially flown over by Prince Harry, The Daily Express reported, among a group of 10 representatives from Harry’s charity Sentebale.

Nineteen-year-old Prince Harry and Mutsu Potsane, 4, plant a fruit tree at the Mants'ase Children's Home near Mohale's Hoek, Lesotho. Picture: AP
Nineteen-year-old Prince Harry and Mutsu Potsane, 4, plant a fruit tree at the Mants'ase Children's Home near Mohale's Hoek, Lesotho. Picture: APSource:Supplied

 

Harry meets his old friend, Mutsu Potsane, 6, in the grounds of Mants'ase children's home two years later in 2006 while on a return visit to Lesotho in Southern Africa. Picture: AFP
Harry meets his old friend, Mutsu Potsane, 6, in the grounds of Mants'ase children's home two years later in 2006 while on a return visit to Lesotho in Southern Africa. Picture: AFPSource:AFP

Its chairman Johnny Hornby said 18-year-old Mutsu was among the first group to greet the newlyweds when they left St George’s Chapel as a married couple.

He added: “He’s a bit shy now, but he’s doing really well. He’s just finishing school.”

Mutsu was just a toddler when Harry first met him in 2004.

They were introduced at Mants’ase Children’s Home for orphans near Mohale’s Hoek, outside Lesotho’s capital Maseru.

Harry plays with Mutsu in the grounds of the Mants'ase Children’s Home while on a return visit to Lesotho in Southern Africa in April 2006. Picture: AFP
Harry plays with Mutsu in the grounds of the Mants'ase Children’s Home while on a return visit to Lesotho in Southern Africa in April 2006. Picture: AFPSource:AFP

Harry went to the children’s home to help young Africans stricken by an HIV and Aids crisis.

He even bought Mutsu a pair of blue wellington boots that he treasured.

The pair were then reunited when Harry returned to Lesotho two years ago.

In emotional scenes from a documentary of his visit Harry is shown embracing Mutsu, who was then 15.

Mutsu and Harry are reunited in 2016 when Mutsu was singing as part of the Basotho Youth Choir in London. Picture: Getty
Mutsu and Harry are reunited in 2016 when Mutsu was singing as part of the Basotho Youth Choir in London. Picture: GettySource:Getty Images

“How are you? Look at you!” Harry said in shock.

“Look how big you are now, how old are you? 15? Good man!”

He added: “I got your letter, the letter you sent me. Remember?”

Speaking about Mutsu later, Prince Harry said it was “great to see that he is so happy”.

”Our tree has survived, it’s grown up. The fence that we built is still there,” he said.

“Obviously, I would prefer it in a weird way for him not to have been there, and for us to not know where he was.

“Because then we know that he’s happy with a family member, but sadly for him that’s not the case.”

This article originally appeared in The Sun and was reproduced with permission.

Originally published as Harry’s special wedding guest

Source: News Corp Australia Network:

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