Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are scheduled to visit Nigeria next month. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will make the journey following Harry’s visit to the UK to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, with celebrations taking place at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London on May 8. The Duke is expected to attend the event solo as Markle joins him for the trip to Nigeria. They were invited to Nigeria by the country’s chief of defense staff, whom Harry befriended in September during the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf, Germany.
Harry founded the Invictus Games in 2014 as a multi-sport Paralympic-styled event for wounded or injured servicemen and veterans. During their visit to Nigeria, the couple will meet with service members and their families, as well as take part in traditional cultural practices. The Nigerian Defense Headquarters expressed their excitement and honor that the Sussexes have accepted their invitation, and additional details about the trip will be revealed closer to the date. This will be the first visit to Nigeria for the couple as a pair.
In 2022, Meghan Markle revealed on her “Archetypes” podcast that she discovered she was “43% Nigerian” after completing an ancestry test. During the opening ceremony of the Invictus Games in Germany, Harry joked about his wife’s Nigerian heritage, adding a competitive element to the event. Following the announcement of their upcoming trip, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau expressed in a letter that the visit will help strengthen Nigeria’s connection with the Invictus Games and increase the possibility of hosting the event in the country in the future.
Misan Harriman, a close friend and photographer of the couple, hinted at joining them on the trip to Nigeria by posting a heart and flag emoji on X. This trip will be one of the rare overseas tours that Harry and Meghan have undertaken since stepping back from their roles as senior members of the royal family. Previously, they visited Jamaica for the premiere of the Bob Marley biopic “One Love,” as well as Canada, the Netherlands, and Germany for the Invictus Games. The visit to Nigeria holds significance due to Markle’s newfound connection to the country through her ancestry.
The upcoming visit to Nigeria will be an opportunity for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to strengthen ties with the country and the Invictus Games initiative. By meeting with service members, participating in cultural activities, and exploring their personal connections to Nigeria, the couple aims to create meaningful experiences during their trip. The invitation from the Nigerian Defense Headquarters reflects the mutual respect and admiration between the country and the Sussexes, highlighting the positive impact of their charitable work and global outreach. As they prepare for their journey, the couple will continue to engage with their various projects and philanthropic efforts, leveraging their platform to make a positive difference in the world.
