Army officer Prince Harry showed his caring side this week with a pledge to continue helping the children of Lesotho, the Southern African country where he spent part of his gap year. Prince Charles' younger son is to become a patron of Dolen Cymru, an organisation that promotes understanding between the people of Wales and Lesotho.
It follows last year's decision by the young royal to set up Sentebale - which means Forget Me Not in the local language - in memory of his mother, the late Princess Diana. Deeply affected by his experiences in the Southern African state, where a third of adults are HIV positive, Harry vowed to return and highlight the plight of AIDS orphans. The patronage should give the 22-year-old a chance to renew his acquaintance with Mutsu, a four-year-old boy he became fond of during his 2004 charity stint - a friendship he sealed by giving his little pal a pair of wellies. Harry, who made headlines over the weekend when he became involved in a fracas during a night out at a London nightspot, is also to support two other charities: MapAction, which helps aid agencies in natural disasters, and WellChild, an NGO catering for poorly British children.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
The Prince befriended four-year-old Mutsu during his 2004 gap year in Lesotho (above). Harry is to become patron of a charity promoting links between Wales and his young pal's homeland
Photo: © AFP