Prince Harry and Meghan Markle wanted to raise Archie in Africa

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex reportedly plotted a big move to Africa with their son, Archie, before quitting royal life. Photo / Getty Images

Harry and Meghan were plotting a move to Africa before they quit their lives as senior royals, it has been revealed.

Longtime close friend of Prince Harry, zoologist Dame Jane Goodall, 88, said the Duke of Sussex made it clear he was set on raising son Archie "running barefoot with African children", the Daily Mail reports.

There had even been plans drawn up by royal courtiers for Harry and Meghan to take on a special role in Africa after the birth of their first child, but it never came to fruition, with the couple eventually stepping down from their position and moving to California instead, where they now live with Archie, 3, and daughter Lilibet, 1.

According to 2019 reports, Prince Harry's advisers were designing a "bespoke" role for the couple, which would have allowed them to be based in Africa.

The plan, which, according to the Sunday Times, was drawn up by a team helmed by the former British ambassador to the US, Sir David Manning, would have combined some work on behalf of the Commonwealth along with charity work and a role promoting Britain.

Harry has visited Africa many times, and is understood to feel a deep connection to the continent. His ex-girlfriend Chelsy Davy is from Zimbabwe, and in 2006, he and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho co-founded Sentebale, a charity established to support vulnerable children in the area.

According to 2019 reports, Prince Harry's advisers were designing a "bespoke" role for the couple, which would have allowed them to be based in Africa. Photo / Kāpiti News

Meghan would also have a strong affinity to Africa given she is 43 per cent Nigerian, as she revealed on her podcast Archetypes last month.

Dame Jane Goodall and Prince Harry's friendship has been noted in the past, with the celebrated primatologist interviewed by the Duke of Sussex for the edition of British Vogue edited by his wife in 2019, in which she spoke of meeting and cuddling Archie.

In her latest interview with The Times, the Dame refused to wade into the scandals surrounding the pair, who have incited backlash for their comments on the royals since their move to the US, and stirred up panic in the family with the upcoming release of Prince Harry's memoir, Spare.

"I don't talk about them now. Of course, I have my views, and I think Harry cares, I really think he does. My times that I talked with him I just felt that he was a really nice, good person," she said.

She revealed she has had a few interactions with the royal family, including the late Prince Philip and King Charles.

"I talked with the late Duke of Edinburgh a couple of times," she said, adding that he was "fun".

She went on to reveal that Charles has invited her to Highgrove in the past, but she's "never been able to go".

"Now that he's King, who knows?" she said.