Prince Harry uses memoir to thank the ‘gypsy spirit’ film producer and cinematographer who ‘raised’ him.

Prince Harry has thanked his “beloved second family” in Botswana for their support in his leaked memoir Spare, naming them in his acknowledgments just weeks after the Netflix documentary starring wife Meghan Markle, which described how she “raised” him to have.

Tania Jenkins and Mike Holding, who also appeared briefly on Netflix’s Harry & Meghan, forged a close bond with the prince while he was visiting Botswana as a teenager after the death of his mother.

In what was perceived by some as a snub to King Charles, Harry opened up about his affection for the couple on the show and described how staying out of the limelight in Africa helped him as a teenager.

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

Prince Harry (right) pictured with Tania Jenkins (centre) and Mike Holding (left)

Mr Holding and Ms Jenkins run Afriscreen, a filming and production company in Botswana

Prince Harry’s memoir Spare was leaked after Spanish bookstores started selling the work earlier this week. It was originally scheduled to hit shelves worldwide on January 10th.

The book has made a number of damaging claims about the royal family, including details of William and Harry’s fractious relationship and the Duke’s version of the palace’s treatment of his wife.

Harry’s “second family” has a fascinating history in the African country that has included videography, working with streaming giants like Disney and Netflix, and rescuing wild animals from the bush.

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

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

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

A photo featured in the documentary shows Harry next to a laughing Ms. Jenkins while Mr. Holding sits next to her in a safari truck.

Royal biographers have claimed that the bond between them was so close that Harry jokingly called Ms Jenkins ‘mother’.

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

His second mother figure after Princess Diana died aged just 12 is the executive producer at Afriscreens, a video company founded with Mr Holding in 1998.

The couple, who have been together for 26 years, have directed and produced nature programs for major clients, including recently the Disney+ documentary Elephants.

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

Mr. Holding has won awards throughout his career, including two Team Emmys

Ms. Jenkins began her film career working on films starring the Wenger brothers and Paul Werner and Whoopi Goldberg

Harry has visited Botswana several times and even taken his wife Meghan on holiday for their third date

Prince Harry has spent a lot of time in the country doing charity work and meeting local people

Teenager Tlotlo Moilwa hugs Britain’s Prince Harry during a visit to the Kasane Health Post, run by charity Sentebale, in Kasane, Botswana in 2019

Often described as one of the most unique places on earth, the couple from Botswana’s Okavango Delta say they are “grateful that we can do what we love – live and work in a really wild place, in the middle of the animals and environment we have come to know so well.’

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

She founded Afriscreen Films in 1996, which then became Afriscreen with partner Mr Holding.

Now born and raised in the wilds of Kenya, Mr Holding earned a degree in zoology from the University of Exeter before pursuing his career as a director and videographer.

He has won several awards throughout his career, including two Team Emmy awards, and began working as a cinematographer for the BBC in Kenya in 1978.

In 1993 he spent a longer period in Botswana and still lives there with Mrs. Jenkins.

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

Facebook posts show they have previously tried to help animals struggling in the muggy Okavango dry season and have particular experience with elephants.

Ms Jenkins is Executive Producer for Afriscreens while Mr Holding is directing, filming and editing

The couple’s social media accounts depict a happy life in nature, far removed from the royal family’s strict rules

It’s a stark contrast to life behind palace walls and the strict rules 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, as he only traveled to Botswana in his late teens.

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

As well as helping to protect wildlife populations, he frequently met with local communities and did charity work.

It holds such a place in his heart that he brought Meghan Markle to the country for a week-long vacation as a third date.

Meghan told the 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 it.’

Harry admitted he was “amazed that she said yes” as he had only met Meghan twice at the 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 ten days.”

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

The couple has also visited the country since their engagement.