(CNN) — The Duke and Duchess of Sussex embarked on what was officially called a three-day private visit to Nigeria, but it unfolded with all the grandeur and attention normally reserved for royal tours.
Their first day saw them receive a red carpet welcome complete with cultural dancers following their arrival in the Nigerian capital of Abuja, where they kicked off a multi-day mental health summit at Lightway Academy.
There, they also unveiled a partnership between their Archewell Foundation and the GEANCO Foundation to provide students with school supplies and menstrual products.
The couple had been invited to the West African nation by the country’s highest-ranking military officer, Christopher Musa. After meeting him at the Nigerian Defense Headquarters, Meghan signed a guest book where she thanked officials for “welcoming me home.”
Despite the private nature of their visit, the couple’s itinerary resembled previous official tours they took before stepping down as royals in 2020.
They were warmly received everywhere they went, and Nigerians demonstrated their famous hospitality. The couple were showered with gifts, including a touching portrait of a young Harry with his mother.
For both Nigeria and the Sussexes, this visit carried significant weight.
It was an opportunity for Nigeria to demonstrate its ability to host such high-profile guests and dispel any doubts raised by sceptics, especially considering the country’s standing in the eyes of the UK Foreign Office as one of the most dangerous to visit in the world.
Nigeria has security problems with a terrorist insurgency in the northeast and northwest. However, it is a huge country (bigger than the state of Texas) and the other areas visited by the royal couple in recent days are relatively safe.
Meanwhile, for Prince Harry and Meghan, this marked their first major trip to Africa since stepping down from official royal duties.
It was an opportunity for them to engage in a charm offensive of both hearts and minds, which they carried out with ease.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, receives flowers from a girl upon her arrival with Britain’s Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, for a volleyball match at Nigeria Unconquered, a local charity that supports wounded, injured or sick, in Abuja on May 11, 2024. Credit: Kola Sulaimon/AFP/Getty Images.
Meghan, in particular, agreed to explore her Nigerian ancestry after discovering several years ago that she is 43% Nigerian through a genealogy test.
On Saturday she co-hosted a women’s leadership event with Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, director-general of the World Trade Organization, for about 50 prominent women from across Nigerian society, politics, business, media and culture.
During a panel discussion, moderated by Nigerian media mogul Mo Abudu, the Duchess spoke passionately about how she discovered her Nigerian roots and their importance to her own identity.
She described Nigeria as “my country,” adding that “part of being African American is not knowing much about your lineage or your background, or where you specifically come from. And it was exciting (…) to discover more and understand what that really means.”
It was here that Meghan’s natural ability to connect really shined. She effortlessly chatted with attendees, posed for selfies and engaged in deep conversations.
At another event this Sunday at the prestigious Delborough Hotel in Lagos, where the powerful people of Nigerian society had gathered to welcome the couple, she appeared visibly moved as three senior traditional rulers honored her with royal titles.
The Obi of Onitsha, His Majesty Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Ugochukwu Achebe baptized Meghan “Ada Mazi”, meaning “the daughter of the Igbo ancestral palace”.
Furthermore, the Oluwo of Iwoland, southwestern Nigeria, Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi baptized her with the Yoruba name “Adetokunbo” which means “royalty from the other side of the seas.”
Her engagements during the three-day visit focused on her core passions: sports rehabilitation, mental health and women’s empowerment.
For Harry’s part, the duke demonstrated his compassion and connection to his late mother, Princess Diana, while visiting wounded soldiers at a military hospital in Kaduna, 240 kilometers from Abuja.
His first stop was to visit the Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani, where he was again greeted by a group of dancers and a red carpet. Governor Sani sat across from him and praised Harry as a “symbol of bravery and” praised his service to his country.
Sani added: “Please greet the Duchess of Sussex, Princess Meghan.”
Harry toured six wards and met young people recovering from their injuries. Many had been shot, ambushed by the Boko Haram group or had lost limbs due to explosions. A moment captured by a photographer showing Harry holding a wounded soldier lying in the hospital bed during the visit resonated deeply and went viral on social media.
Corporal Yusef, 23, who was shot in the knee, spoke to the duke, who asked him about his rehabilitation. “Are you going to try to be part of the Invictus Games team? Are you preparing for that? (…) See you there,” said Harry.
Their visit also extended to cultural experiences such as witnessing a vibrant dance performance and a polo match at the historic Lagos Polo Club.
Polo has a special meaning for Harry and the event provided a platform to showcase his long-standing commitment to the sport and his charitable endeavours.
Amid the festivities, the couple expressed their gratitude for Nigeria’s warm reception. As they said goodbye to Nigeria, Meghan declared: “I can’t wait to come back!”
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