The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, are set to embark on a three-day tour of Nigeria starting Friday, May 10. Now, their plans have been revealed.
Arriving in the African nation on the morning of their visit, they will head straight to the Nigerian Defence Headquarters in Abuja before moving on to Lagos. The royal couple’s visit will extend until Monday, with members of the press also accompanying them.
Prince Harry has been in London since Tuesday, May 7, attending various events related to the Invictus Games, including a service at St. Paul’s Cathedral to mark the Games’ 10th anniversary, although he did not meet his father or his brother.
He travelled to Nigeria today with Meghan joining him from Los Angeles for their three-day visit.
While in Nigeria, the couple plans to watch a volleyball game and visit military hospitals and charities in Abuja and Lagos. Their itinerary, revealed by the Defence HQ during a press conference on Thursday, May 9, also includes scheduled meetings with injured armed forces personnel and their families.
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Harry and Meghan Markle, have been invited to Nigeria by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa. The invitation follows a meeting between Harry and General Musa at the games in Dusseldorf, Germany last September.
Air Vice Marshal Abidemi Marquis, the director of sports at the Nigerian Defence Ministry, revealed during a Facebook Live press briefing on Thursday that the Royal couple will visit the Wuse Light Academy before meeting with Nigeria’s security chief.
In addition, they will journey to Kaduna state to visit the Nigerian Army Reference Hospital and spend time with recovering wounded and injured soldiers. On Saturday, May 11, an exhibition of a novelty volleyball match is scheduled between The Chief of Defence Staff team and the Duke’s team, followed by a reception where Harry and Meghan will mingle with the families of soldiers, loved ones of fallen officers, and other service members.
The Royal itinerary also includes a visit to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State on Sunday, May 12, and attendance at a basketball exhibition match at a local school. A final reception will conclude their visit on Monday.
Meghan, who discovered her Nigerian ancestry and shared on her Spotify podcast Archetypes in 2022 that she is “43 per cent Nigerian”, is reportedly excited about the upcoming visit.
During a visit to the Nigerian team at last year’s Invictus Games in Dusseldorf, Meghan was bestowed with the name Amira Ngozi Lolo. The moniker translates to “warrior princess”, “blessed” and “royal wife”.
“Now, I’m not saying we play favourites in our home, but since my wife discovered she’s of Nigerian descent, it’s likely to get a little bit more competitive this year,” Harry quipped during a speech at the games.
The inaugural Invictus Games were held in September 2014 at London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, where over 400 competitors from 13 nations globally took part. The Games were established as a sporting event for the benefit of injured military personnel and veterans.
