A security source confirmed Meghan Markle’s assertions that Archie’s South Africa nursery caught fire in the middle of his pregnancy.
An insider believed to have been close to the Duchess, and who was part of her security detail on the 10 day tour in 2019, claimed that he saw the “severely melting” heater.
He said Meghan received a message that there had been a ‘fire’ and her vehicle ‘broke away’ from the security convoy.
The Citizen was told by a source that the British High Commission supplied the heater for the home. The British Police told the Citizen to “keep it quiet”
It is the first confirmation that a fire as reported in a podcast by Meghan Markle actually happened after the British Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office refused to comment.
A security source confirmed Meghan Markle’s claim that Archie’s South African nursery was set on fire by Archie. (Photo taken in Cape Town during the tour).
Pictured are the Duke and Duchess Sussex at an engagement in Nyanga just before being informed about the fire
According to a source, Meghan was “scared” when she left her security vehicle and she bolted into the official residence “like any mother would” if she worried about her child.
However, the source could not verify if Archie was there or if he was downstairs as claimed by the source.
Although he claimed he was part a small team that looked after Meghan, he said they were primarily attached to Meghan. He helped her get between her official residence in London and her royal engagements.
According to a trusted source, the security plan was changed after the convoy returned from an official trip.
“We were traveling in convoy when suddenly, the convoy of Meghan split off. We followed after. We didn’t know what was going on. He was on his own to do a great deal with the navy.
The podcast is titled “The Misconception Of Ambition With Serena Williams” and features the Duchess from Sussex speaking to Serena Williams.
Source continued, “When we stopped by the residence, I can tell you she didn’t get out the car like a lady who normally gets out. She bolted straight into the house.”
After getting inside, he stated that the heater was defective.
He stated that he had seen the heater and was shocked to find out the reason.
“She claimed they smelled it and went up to see the smoke. The room and house did not burn. Although I couldn’t see any fire, I did notice the heater as it entered the room. It was melted to a molten state.
According to the source, he was not able to say if Archie had been in danger but confirmed it was a heater purchased for Archie’s warmth.
He said, “The fire wasn’t reported.” We discussed the matter with each other while we were out. It was unanimously agreed, “guys, this is going to look terrible for South Africa or anybody else.”
Harry and Meghan watch dancers as they leave the Nyanga Township in Cape Town, South Africa. Archie, however, was back home and her bedroom was ablaze. She revealed
We decided to not expose the fact that British police officers told us, “guys just let it be as it is.”
“That was why we kept quiet back then as we knew we would face backlash.
He claimed that they had made a decision to vacate the residence.
Source said: “We instantly moved out of the house to another place, not five minutes from where our troops were stationed. But none of them were informed where their accommodation was after the fire.”
Markle spoke out for the first-time about the incident almost three years later than it occurred to Serena Williams. Williams was first interviewed on Markle’s podcast Archetypes.
She shared how it was difficult for her to fulfill her royal duties on that day, and to maintain Nyanga’s official engagement.
The Duchess said: ‘There was this moment where I’m standing on a tree stump and I’m giving this speech to women and girls, and we finish the engagement, we get in the car and they say there’s been a fire at the residence.
Today Meghan expressed her disappointment that she had to immediately do another engagement following the fire. (Photo of Harry doing it later in the day).
Meghan said, “We came back.” As a mother you can’t help but think “Oh my God! What?” Everybody is in tears. Everyone’s shaking. So what are we to do? You should go out to another official engagement. It doesn’t make sense, I told you.
Following their official tour of 2019, the Sussexes left their son behind at the accommodation unit where they were staying to get a rest.
Lauren (the Zimbabwean nanny who took Archie down to the basement with her) had gone to get snacks and Archie was caught by the fire in the nursery’s heater.
Meghan stated that the heating system in her nursery caught fire during Meghan’s descent. The smoke detector did not work. One person happened to smell smoke in the corridor and went inside, the fire extinguished. He was supposed to have been sleeping there.
According to the Duchess, she described what it was like for her to share with people.
“I was thinking, Could you please tell them what happened. She said that optically the emphasis is on what it looks rather than how it feels. She highlighted the importance of understanding the “human moments behind it” and the necessity to do more.
According to the Duchess, “We had no choice but to leave our baby… even though we moved to another location afterwards, we had to still leave him behind and do an official engagement.”
William responds: “I couldn’t do that.”
Later that same day the Sussexes visited Cape Town’s Historic District Six, where they met the residents of its Homecoming Centre. The Sussexes then listened to people who were forced into a township in the Apartheid Era.
Meghan and Harry were on their controversial African tour in October 2019, months after leaving senior working royalty status.