Prince Harry uses memoir to thank ‘gypsy spirit’ film producer and cameraman who ‘brought him up’

Prince Harry thanked his “beloved second family” in Botswana for their support in his leaked memoir, Spare, naming them in his thanks just weeks after the Netflix docu-series with his wife Meghan Markle described how they “raised him.”

Tania Jenkins and Mike Holding, who also appeared briefly on Harry and Meghan from Netflixhe formed a close bond with the Prince when he visited Botswana as a teenager following the death of his mother.

In what some perceived as a slight to King Charles, Harry spoke candidly about his affection for the couple in the series, describing how being away from the spotlight in Africa helped him as a teenager.

MailOnline can reveal that while Mr Holding is an award-winning cameraman and director, Ms Jenkins is an equally talented producer who she says is a “gypsy spirit”.

Prince Harry’s memoir Spare leaked after Spanish bookstores began selling them earlier this week. Originally, it was scheduled to hit shelves around the world on January 10.

The book has made a number of damaging claims about the royal family, including details of William and Harry’s testy relationship and the duke’s version of events about how the palace treated his wife.

Harry’s ‘second family’ has an intriguing history in the African country that includes videography, working with streaming giants like Disney and Netflix and rescuing wild animals from the jungle.

In Harry & Meghan, Prince Harry described how his father was “worried” that he was spending so much time in Botswana.

He said: ‘Botswana is a country very close to my heart. The fact that I spend more time here than at home worries my father a lot.

I have a second family out there. A group of friends who literally raised me.

A photo shown in the documentary shows Harry standing next to a smiling Mrs Jenkins, with Mr Holding sitting next to her in a safari truck.

Royal biographers have claimed that the bond between them was so close that Harry often jokingly called Mrs. Jenkins “Mum”.

Ms. Jenkins describes herself as a film producer, as well as a “life and purpose coach” and “gypsy spirit”.

His second mother figure after the death of Princess Diana when he was just 12 years old is the executive producer of Afriscreens, a video company that launched with Mr Holding in 1998.

The couple, who have been together for 26 years, have filmed and produced nature shows for major clients, including a recent documentary, Elephants, for Disney+.

They also had roles in the production of Wild Babies, a Netflix series voiced by Helena Bonham Carter.

Based in Botswana’s Okavango Delta, often described as one of the world’s most unique places, the couple say they are “grateful that we get to do what we love: live and work in a truly wild place, among the animals.” and the environment we have come to know so well.’

Ms. Jenkins began her film career in 1986, spending time on films with stars such as the Wenger brothers and Paul Werner, as well as Whoopi Goldberg before beginning to travel the world to focus on nature documentaries.

He formed Afriscreen Films in 1996, which later became simply Afriscreen with his partner Mr Holding.

Meanwhile, Mr. Holding was born and raised in the Kenyan wilderness and studied for a degree in zoology at the University of Exeter before pursuing his career as a director and videographer.

He has won several awards during his career, including two Team Emmy Awards, and started as a cameraman for the BBC in Kenya in 1978.

He first spent an extended period in Botswana in 1993 and still lives there with Ms. Jenkins.

Photos from Ms Jenkins’ social media accounts show a happy life in the African nation with friends and family, as well as numerous encounters with local wildlife.

The Facebook posts show that they have previously tried to help animals battling Okavango’s sweltering dry season, and have particular experience with elephants.

It makes a stark contrast to life behind the palace walls and the strict rules that Harry discusses in his new book, Spare.

Royal experts previously said his comments about how the couple “raised” him were a dig at his father and the rest of the royal family, given that he did not travel to Botswana until his teens.

Prince Harry has visited Botswana on multiple occasions, sometimes spending months in the country.

In addition to helping conserve wildlife populations, he also frequently met with local communities and did charity work.

He has such a place in his heart that he took Meghan Markle to the countryside for a week’s vacation as their third date.

Meghan told Harry & Meghan interviewers: ‘So I had a week off [work] and it was the same week so he said do you want to come to botswana? I said let me think about it and then I did.

Harry admitted that he was “astonished that she said yes” as he had only seen Meghan twice in that time.

He said: ‘This woman I’ve only met twice, she’s coming to Botswana and we’re going to live in a tent for 10 days.’

Meghan admitted: “I’m getting on a plane and we’re living in the middle of a bush, what, what if we don’t like each other and then we’re stuck in the middle of a bush in a tent.”

The couple have also visited the country since they got engaged.