Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been busy during the second day of their tour of southern Africa, having danced and chanted with a group of mental health mentors at Cape Town’s Monwabisi beach on Tuesday. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are on their first overseas tour since the birth of their first child Archie, who has accompanied them on their visit. The couple have a packed itinerary for their 10 day visit, and have today spent time with mental health charity Waves for Change as well as taking time to call each other the “best parent”.
Later, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex visited the Auwal Mosque in Bo-Kaap, Cape Town, where the couple met faith leaders.
Meghan had changed out of her casual clothes and, presumably out of respect for the Muslim place of worship, covered her head with a scarf and wore a long gown that swept the floor.
Meghan, 38, wore a long green dress and light headscarf, and held hands with her Harry, 35, husband as they arrived for the visit.
According to the HEA Islamic Studies Network funded ‘Guidelines for the study of a local Muslim community’ project carried out at the University of Wolverhamptom, Meghan wore the head covering as a sign of respect.
Why did Meghan Markle wear a headscarf?
The HEA Islamic Studies Network report advised on guidance on clothing and modesty when enterring a mosque on a visit.
The document said: “Head covering is required for males and females, Muslims and visitors.
“Females would usually wear a scarf and males a hat or cap. This is a requirement for many religions and is linked to the respect that many religions would expect visitors to show.”
Islam is not the only religion that requires women to cover up, however.
Jewish, Christian and Hindu women also cover their head at points and in certain locations.
Many women who don the traditional covering talk believe it to be a way demonstrating their submission to God.
Today, some women wear the hijab to signal pride in their ethnic identity.
In a Facebook post for World Hijab Day 2018 that went viral, Columbia College student Toqa Badran wrote: “I wear this scarf because when I was a child I was socialised to be embarrassed, even ashamed, of my religion and my culture.
“I was told that to be a Muslim was to be a terrorist and that to be outwardly Muslim was to endorse violence and oppression.
“I understood that I would be unwelcome as long as I wore symbols of my heritage and chose to, in however modern a way, embrace my ancestors.”
For Meghan, her headscarf was likely a sign of respect as she visited South Africa’s oldest mosque.
Built in 1794 during the British occupation of the Cape of Good Hope, the Auwal Mosque is the first and oldest mosque in South Africa.
The couple, who arrived holding hands, were met by Imam Sheikh Ismail Londt and Muslim community leader Mohamed Groenwald as they arrived at the mosque today.
Speaking to media for the first time since introducing Archie to the world in May, Meghan gushed: “What’s so amazing about being here today is seeing there is so much good happening in the world and there’s so much positivity, and diversity and inclusivity.”
She added: “If you’re in a small community or a township, if you’re in a big city, everyone is dealing with a different version of the same thing.
“Globally, I think there’s a bit of a consciousness crisis and so the fact that we’re able to be here together and see on the ground so much good work that’s being done, just because people are willing to talk to each other about it and someone is willing to listen is huge.
“And that can apply to being here, certainly can apply to being in London, LA. It doesn’t matter where you are, we’re all trying to power through and find some optimism.”