Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex have paid tribute to friend Dame Jane Goodall

Goodall had a close bond with the couple, formed over a shared passion for the environment, and they recalled her holding their son Prince Archie - now six - when he was a tot.

A statement from Harry and Meghan shared with PEOPLE read: "Dr. Jane Goodall DBE was a visionary humanitarian, scientist, friend to the planet, and friend to us.

"Her commitment to changing lives extends beyond what the world saw, and also to what we personally felt.

"She held our son, Archie, when he was first born, and showered love and care to those who were privileged to know her. She will be deeply missed."

Goodall previously shared that Harry wanted to raise his son in Africa.

The 41-year-old royal - who also has Princess Lilibet, four, with former actress Meghan - dreamed of bringing up his boy in the wild, according to Goodall.

She told The Times: "He wanted to bring Archie up in Africa, running barefoot with African children."

The activist was interviewed by the prince for Vogue magazine in 2019.

And although she spoke about him over the years, she tried to remain relatively tight-lipped.

Discussing Harry and his wife, she shared: "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."

Goodall was also close to Harry's father, King Charles, whom she received her damehood from in 2004, "for services to the environment and conservation".

Goodall was later invited by the monarch to visit his farm in Gloucestershire, South-West England.

She said: "He keeps inviting me down to his farm but I've never been able to go. Now that he's king, who knows?"