Meghan Markle, Prince Harry Recall Desmond Tutu Meeting Son Archie In Touching Tribute

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry paid tribute to human rights activist Archbishop Desmond Tutu following his passing over the weekend.

In a statement, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex lauded the work of Tutu and reflected on their now-2-year-old son Archie's 2019 meeting with the South African civil rights icon and his daughter Thandeka Tutu-Gxashe in Cape Town after the archbishop died Sunday at the age of 90.

"Archbishop Tutu will be remembered for his optimism, his moral clarity and his joyful spirit," the couple said in a statement obtained by People. "He was an icon for racial justice and beloved across the world. It was only two years ago that he held our son, Archie, while we were in South Africa – 'Arch and The Arch' he had joked, his infectious laughter ringing through the room, relaxing anyone in his presence."

The couple, who are also the parents of 6-month-old daughter Lilibet, went on to write that Archbishop Tutu "remained a friend" and would be "sorely missed by all."

Tutu was known for fighting against apartheid—South Africa's regime of oppression against its Black citizens—and campaigning internationally for racial justice and LGBTQ rights. He was the first Black bishop of Johannesburg and later became the Anglican archbishop of Cape Town, earning his nickname "The Arch," according to Harper's Bazaar.

Prince Harry and Markle's son Archie was almost 5 months old when they introduced him to the Nobel Prize winner and his daughter in September 2019 during the couple's royal tour of South Africa. It was Archie's first official engagement.

At the time, Prince Harry and Markle shared on their now-defunct Sussex Royal Instagram account a photo of Tutu meeting Archie. In the black and white picture, the duchess lovingly smiles at her son and cradles him as Tutu kisses the infant's forehead.

"Thank you Archbishop Tutu for your incredibly warm hospitality, Archie loved meeting you!" the Duke and Duchess of Sussex wrote in the caption.

The family of three received a few gifts from Archbishop Tutu during the visit, including poignant photos of Prince Harry's late mother, Princess Diana, and children's books "Children of God Storybook Bible" and "Desmond and the Mean Word," both of which were written by Tutu. He also gave Archie a children's songbook.

Prior to the outing, Prince Harry met Archbishop Tutu during a tour of South Africa in November 2015, when the Duke of Sussex presented the clergyman with an honor in recognition of his services to U.K. communities and international peace.

Queen Elizabeth II also mourned the late human rights activist, releasing a statement following his death Sunday.

"I am joined by the whole Royal Family in being deeply saddened by the news of the death of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a man who tirelessly championed human rights in South Africa and across the world," she wrote.

The Queen recalled Tutu's "great warmth and humor" during their past meetings, adding that his loss "will be felt by the people of South Africa, and by so many people in Great Britain, Northern Ireland and across the Commonwealth, where he was held in such high affection and esteem."