Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have commenced their 72-hour promotional tour to advocate for the Invictus Games, touching down in Nigeria after an overnight journey to Abuja on British Airways. Despite a slight delay due to a pilot’s illness necessitating a last-minute replacement, the royal couple landed Friday morning at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, greeted by Nigerian officials.
Escorted discreetly into a waiting blacked-out minibus, the couple made their way to the jetty. Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, representing the Defense Department, stated that the couple would take a moment to rest before their first engagement at midday at the Defence Headquarters. Following this, they will visit a military hospital in Kaduna to meet with injured soldiers before returning to Abuja for further commitments.
Prince Harry, who previously met the Nigerian team and Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Musa during last year’s competition in Dusseldorf, Germany, is primarily in Nigeria to champion the Invictus Games. The invitation extended by General Musa prompted their visit. Additionally, Meghan’s ancestral ties to Nigeria further solidify their connection to the country, with Harry announcing her support for Team Nigeria during their visit.
Their schedule includes attending a training session for the charity organization Nigeria: Unconquered, which collaborates with the Invictus Games, along with a reception honoring military families, both hosted by the Chief of Defence Staff. Meghan will also co-host a Women in Leadership session alongside World Trade Organization Director General Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
Their activities on Sunday feature a polo fundraiser for Nigeria: Unconquered, a cultural reception, and a basketball clinic with Giants of Africa. Meghan’s revelation of her Nigerian ancestry, disclosed in a 2022 interview, has sparked considerable interest, with comedian Ziwe expressing excitement during a podcast interview about Meghan’s connection to her Nigerian roots.
