CELEBRITY
All the Best Photos from Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s Nigeria Trip! The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrived in Nigeria on Friday, May 10
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have embarked on their three-day visit to Nigeria!
The couple kicked off their trip on Friday, May 10 with a stop at the Lightway Academy in Abuja, where they met with students of all ages and announced a new partnership between their Archewell Foundation and the GEANCO Foundation. Together, Archewell and GEANCO will provide mental health resources and training to young women and men. This is in addition to the couple’s foundation’s work providing menstrual health products and educational services to Nigerian girls and young women.
Meghan, 42, and Harry’s trip to Nigeria marks their first international tour since they stepped away from their roles as senior working royals in 2020. It’s also their first trip to the country, which holds a special place in the Duchess of Sussex’s heart after she discovered via a genealogy test that she’s 43% Nigerian on a 2022 episode of her Archetypes podcast.
The couple were invited to visit the country by Nigeria’s Chief of Defense Staff, the country’s highest-ranking military official. PEOPLE is exclusively joining the Nigeria trip, covering the Duke of Duchess of Sussex’s various outings.
Harry, 39, and Meghan have a busy schedule over the next few days. Later on Friday, the prince will meet with injured service members at a military hospital. Then, on Saturday, he and the Duchess of Sussex will attend a training session for Nigeria: Unconquered, which will be followed by a reception hosted by the Chief of Defense Staff in honor of military families.
Later that same day, Meghan will co-host a Women in Leadership event with Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director General of the World Trade Organization. The couple’s activities will continue on Sunday with a basketball clinic with Giants of Africa, a cultural reception and a polo fundraiser for Nigeria: Unconquered.
Throughout the visit, Harry will shine a spotlight on the Invictus Games, which are celebrating their 10th anniversary this year. Harry and Meghan were presented with beaded wooden necklaces upon their arrival at the Lightway Academy in Abuja.
The couple were met with a banner that read “We Are Honored To Have You!” at the school where they chatted with the faculty and students.
Meghan and Harry both delivered speeches at the inaugural Mental Health Summit at the Lightway Academy where they spoke about the importance of mental healthcare.
“There is no shame to be able to acknowledge that today is a bad day, okay?” the Duke of Sussex said during his speech. “That you woke up this morning feeling sad, that you were at school, feeling stressed, that you’ve lost a loved one in your family and you don’t know who to turn to or who to speak to. All of these things you may even be led to believe are not for conversation.”
He added that he and Meghan were “here today to tell you that that is not the case.” Prior to giving their speeches, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were treated to performances by local singers and dancers. When one performer did a backflip in front of Meghan, she said, “Bravo!”
In 2023, the couple’s Archewell Foundation announced a donation of school supplies and menstrual products to students in Nigeria in partnership with GEANCO. During their visit to Lightway Academy, they shared they’re partnering with the nonprofit once again, this time to provide mental health resources for young people.
Meghan also spoke during the mental health assembly and shared her own comments to the student. “We are honored to have our first visit to Nigeria be here with all of you. We believe in you, we believe in your teachers and we believe in your ability to continue to tell your stories and to just be honest with each other. There is no need to suffer in silence,” she said.