Royal couple Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are looking back on their visit to Nigeria, which was their first royal tour since they moved to America. Despite the short duration of the trip, it was a chance for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to become immersed in local culture and for fans of the royal family to enjoy Meghan’s distinctive fashion sense.
Speaking to People, Prince Harry explained that the tour was an opportunity for him and his wife to focus on their passion projects, such as mental health and the Invictus Games. He found it meaningful to see these initiatives in action on multiple levels.
Meghan added that the trip was special for her because it allowed her to connect with people and reflect on motherhood, especially since it fell on American Mother’s Day. She emphasised the importance of being on the ground and experiencing things first-hand.
On Mother’s Day, she noted that it was poignant to be learning more about “my heritage, that I’m able to share with my children,” she says. “That’s such a special thing as a mother to know you can do.”
The trip included stops at Lightway Academy in Abuja and appearances at the prestigious Delborough Hotel in Lagos.
Their engagements during the three-day visit were centered around their core passions: sports rehabilitation, mental health, and women’s empowerment.
For Harry’s part, the duke demonstrated his compassion and connection to his late mother, Princess Diana, as he visited wounded soldiers at a military hospital in Kaduna, 150 miles from Abuja.
Harry also reflected on the trip and its connection to the Invictus Games. Part of the trip was to showcase the country in hopes that it could one day host the games.
“You know what Africa means to me over the years,” he said. “It is a very, very special place, and to be able to include Nigeria now [in the Invictus Games], I’m very happy.”
