SOUTH AFRICA: PRINCE HARRY MEETS SPICE GIRLS AT CHARITY CONCERT

Описание: (2 Nov 1997) English/Nat

Britain's Prince Harry made his first public appearance since his mother's funeral in September.

He was meeting his favourite pop band, the Spice Girls, with his father at a charity concert in South Africa.

Thirteen-year-old Prince Harry looked relaxed as he walked beside his father through screaming admirers and the gaze of the world's media.

Harry had a private meeting with 'The Spice Girls' before joining the pop band, Prince Charles and Deputy President Thabo Mbeki for a photo session.

He seemed more at ease after meeting the Spice Girls, smiling but saying nothing, even when Spice Girl Emma, known as Baby Spice, kissed him on the cheek.

Charles kissed all the Spice Girls, who wore their usual colourful outfits and platform shoes.

The group are on tour in South Africa and performed in front of a packed stadium in Johannesburg later on Saturday evening.

Earlier in the day, father and son attended the opening of a British Hotel in Johannesburg.

Wearing a dark suit and tie, he looked on attentively as a choir sang a tribute song for the occasion.

Visiting a housing project in the downtown neighbourhood of Hillbrow, where he was warmly welcomed, Charles displayed the type of open and relaxed style that has typified this trip.

Cracking jokes with journalists and shaking hands with onlookers.

It's his first official trip since the death of his ex-wife, Diana, in a car crash on August 31st.

By bringing Harry with him on the trip, Charles fulfilled Diana's wish that their son should visit Africa.

While Charles spent three days in Swaziland and Lesotho to kick off the three-nation African tour, Harry went on a safari with a school friend and his former nanny, Tiggy Legge-Bourke.

His older brother, Prince William, had to be back at school and was unable to make the trip.

On Saturday morning, Charles met President Nelson Mandela at the President's official residence in Pretoria.

But the two men, among the most well-known in the world, found
themselves upstaged at the subsequent photo session for journalists by the flirtatious Spice Girls.

Despite the Spicy flirtation, President Mandela, did not look put out by the adoration.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
President Mandela: "Well, these are my heroines."
The Spice Girls: "And he is our hero as well."
President Mandela: "I don't want to be emotional but this is one of the greatest moments of my life."
SUPER CAPTION: Nelson Mandela and the Spice Girls

Prince Charles, too, entered into the spirit of the occasion with a quick joke.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"And it is the second greatest moment in my life.. the first was when I met them the first time.."
SUPER CAPTION: His Royal Highness Prince Charles

Geri Halliwell - otherwise known as Ginger Spice - told Nelson Mandela that he seemed to have the measure of Girl Power, the Spice Girls theme.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I think there's a classic speech that Nelson Mandela did and I can't remember exactly but you mentioned about never suppress yourself, never make yourself feel small for others insecurities and that's what Girl Power's all about so I think we're on the same level on that view."
President Mandela: "Well you must realise of course that they are talking about an old man".
The Spice Girls: "Hey, it's how you feel inside. You're not old."
SUPER CAPTION: President Mandela and The Spice Girls

She was apparently referring to Mandela's support for women's rights in his autobiography "Long Walk to Freedom".


Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter:   / ap_archive  
Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​
Instagram:   / apnews  


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...