According to People magazine, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have accepted an invitation to visit Nigeria next month on behalf of its Chief of Defence Staff, the country’s highest-ranking military official.
The Prince is setto touch down in London next week to appear at a number of events aligned with his Invictus Games Foundation, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. The milestone celebration will feature a service at St. Paul’s Cathedral on May 8, after which he will be joined by his wife in Nigeria.
The Sussexes plan to meet with service members and participate in various cultural activities during their stay in Nigeria.
The trip will spotlight the Prince’s Invictus Games, at which 500 athletes participating in the 2023 event in Dusseldorf. Nigeria was one of 21 nations that came together for the sporting event and, along with Colombia and Israel, made its debut at the Games last year.
Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar Badaru, Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, has revealed his openness to hosting the event in the future should Nigeria be given the opportunity. Badaru was spotted attending the 2023 event in Germany, cheering on his country.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex during a volleyball match between the Ukrainian and Nigerian teams during the Invictus Games event on September 14, 2023 in Dusseldorf, Germany. Photo / Getty Images
Nigeria’s Acting Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Vusau, said in a statement: “The visit is to consolidate Nigeria’s strong hold at the game and the possibility of hosting the event in later years.”
At last year’s Invictus Games in Germany, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex spent a lot of time with the Nigerian team, whom Harry revealed his wife was cheering for during his opening speech.
“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,” he quipped.
Two years ago, Markle revealed on her Spotify podcast Archetypes a genealogy test led her to discover she is 43 per cent Nigerian.
She and her husband posed for a picture with the Nigerian team and the country’s national flag last year, and the sportsmen and women gifted the couple a plaque from the Chief of Defence - as well as a new nickname for the former Suits actress.
Meghan received the name “Amira Ngozi Lolo”, which holds a link to royal status. “Amira” is the moniker of a warrior princess from an old Nigerian tale, while “Ngozi” translates to “blessed” and Lolo means “royal wife”.
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