The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan, have arrived in Nigeria for a three-day visit, their first trip to the country as a couple. The visit comes after Prince Harry’s brief trip to London, where he expressed his delight at being back in the UK.
The royal couple was invited by Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, and will meet injured service personnel during their stay. Their visit is part of a series of events linked to the Invictus Games, the sporting event for injured service men and women founded by Prince Harry, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.
Upon arrival in Abuja on Friday morning, the couple began their visit with a tour of Lightway Academy, a primary and secondary school in the capital city. They were greeted by traditional dancers and met with primary schoolchildren, who expressed their excitement about the visit, hoping it would raise their school’s profile.
During their tour, the couple visited a kindergarten class where children aged up to five danced and sang. They even joined the class in singing “Jump Up, Turn Around.” The couple mentioned their own family, Archie and Lilibet, with Meghan sharing that dancing was Lilibet’s favorite class, adding, “Maybe it’s all the jumping around.” In a STEM class, when pupils showed off their robot cars, the Duchess revealed that Archie also enjoyed construction.
The couple launched a two-day mental health summit and will attend a training session for Nigeria: Unconquered, a charity collaborating with the Invictus Games. They will also visit Lagos and attend a cultural reception and polo fundraiser for the charity. Meghan will co-host an event on Women in Leadership with Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
This visit follows the duke’s celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games at St Paul’s Cathedral in London on Wednesday. He was seen smiling and waving at a crowd gathered outside St Paul’s to greet him. The service was attended by his uncle Earl Spencer, Princess Diana’s brother. Meanwhile, the King, whose cancer treatment is ongoing, met members of the public at a Buckingham Palace garden party, but the two did not meet due to the King’s “full programme.”
In a surprise appearance, Prince Harry was a guest at a party hosted by the charity Scotty’s Little Soldiers, which supports bereaved children of military personnel, during his short trip to London.
