In his memoir Spare, Prince Harry described the tension he felt when he met his brother, Prince William, and his father, King Charles, after Prince Philip’s funeral in April 2021

Prince Harry shared the one-word reply he got from his father, King Charles, and his brother, Prince William, when he asked to see them for a “secret meeting” to “talk about the state of things” and “find a way out” of their rift.

The Duke of Sussex said that when he flew back to London to attend the funeral of his grandfather, Prince Philip, in April 2021, he thought that could be a good time to also meet his brother and father for a chat. This was the first time Harry travelled back to the UK since he and his wife, Meghan Markle, stepped down as senior royals – and just one month before the then Duke of Edinburgh died, the Sussexes had opened up about their struggles in The Firm during a bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey.

Harry wrote in his memoir, Spare, which was published in January 2023, that he felt anxious, while waiting for William and Charles to arrive at their meeting – and at some point, he thought they had changed their mind and would no longer meet him. However, he said that at some point he saw his father and brother with a “grim, almost menacing” look as they headed towards him.

Harry pictured alongside his brother at Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral ( 
Image:
Getty Images)

The Duke recalled that when he gave them “a weak smile”, they did not smile back, which made him feel “a hugely intense vulnerability” and made him think of his late mum, Princess Diana, with the hope she could give him strength during the meeting. Harry revealed that when he said hello to his brother “Willy” and his father, whom he affectionately called “Pa”, they replied with a single and “painfully tepid” word: “Harold.”

Harry wrote: “At last, I saw them. Shoulder to shoulder, striding towards me, they looked grim, almost menacing. More, they looked tightly aligned. My stomach dropped. Normally they’d be squabbling about one thing or another, but now they appeared to be in lockstep – in league. The thought occurred: Hang on, are we meeting for a walk…or a duel?

Harry with his brother and father at Balmoral ( 
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Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)
‌”I rose from the wooden bench, made a tentative step towards them, gave a weak smile. They didn’t smile back. Now my heart really started thrashing in my chest. Deep breaths, I told myself. Apart from fear, I was feeling a kind of hyper-awareness, and a hugely intense vulnerability, which I’d experienced at other key moments of my life. Walking behind my mother’s coffin. Going into battle for the first time. Giving a speech in the middle of a panic attack.

‌”There was that same sense of embarking on a quest, and not knowing if I was up to it, while also fully knowing that there was no turning back. That Fate was in the saddle. OK, Mummy, I thought, picking up the pace, here goes. Wish me luck. We met in the middle of the path. Willy? Pa? Hello. Harold. Painfully tepid.”

For all the latest on news, politics, sports, and showbiz from the USA, go to The Mirror US.

Following the release of Spare last year, Harry spoke to the Telegraph and made an unexpected claim that he had actually omitted a number of stories about his father and brother. He said: “It could have been two books, put it that way. And the hard bit was taking things out.

“There are some things that have happened, especially between me and my brother, and to some extent between me and my father, that I just don’t want the world to know. Because I don’t think they would ever forgive me.”

Harry opened up about his strained relationship with the Royal Family in his book ( 
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After King Charles was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year, Harry visited him briefly and later opened up about their meeting in an interview with Good Morning America. He said he felt lucky to see his father and declared: “Look, I love my family. The fact that I was able to get on a plane and go and see him and spend any time with him, I’m grateful for that.

When asked if the diagnosis could have a “reunifying effect” amid their feud, Harry said he is certain it will. “Yeah, I’m sure. Throughout all these families I see it on a day-to-day basis the strength of the family unit coming together. I think any illness, any sickness brings families together,” he told the host. However, Harry refused to discuss his father’s condition and said: “That stays between me and him.”

In the months after the death of the late Queen, Prince Harry released his controversial memoir Spare. And according to one respected royal author, the way he dished on his family has caused a long-standing trust issue

Prince Harry was effectively “taking notes” around the time of the late Queen’s death for his controversial memoir, according to a royal author.

The Duke of Sussex sent shockwaves around the world when his controversial autobiography Spare hit the shelves last year – just several months after the death of his grandmother. In it, he revealed private moments with his royal relatives, including details of what happened on the day the former monarch died. Since the book was published, Harry’s bond with his family appears to have gone from bad to worse, especially with his brother Prince William, who he accused of physically attacking him during a heated argument in Kensington Palace.

Harry and Meghan Markle with the late Queen on the Buckingham Palace balcony ( 
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Getty Images)
And according to Robert Hardman, the respected author behind biographies of both King Charles and the late Queen, the fallout from the book is still being felt by Harry more than one year on.

According to the Independent, he told the Hay Literary Festival: “The problem that exists is, at the moment, there is still a trust issue. People are still very wounded, particularly Prince William, that these intimate private childhood family moments all spilled out in Harry’s book. It’s not what Harry said, it’s the fact that he said it, and he gave away so many secrets. And he was, effectively, at the time of the Queen’s death, you know, he was taking notes.”

During his appearance at the festival, the author, who had behind-the-scenes access during the Coronation, was asked about how Charles had been affected by the situation with this younger son. And he said the King finds it unsettling and that it “makes him unhappy”.

He added: “There he is, he’s got two sons, one he hardly sees, and two grandchildren he’s barely ever seen, and yes, I think he would like some sort of modus vivendi. Clearly, they can’t come back to royal life, I don’t think they want to. And, after all that’s happened, it wouldn’t work.”

Last week, reports suggested that Harry, who has a rocky bond with his father, turned down an offer from the King to stay in a royal residence on his recent visit to the UK earlier this month. It is said the offer was knocked back because it did not come with any security provision and he would be in a “visible location with public entrance and exit points and no police protection”.

During the case, the High Court was told that Harry believes his children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet cannot “feel at home” in the UK if it is “not possible to keep them safe”. Since moving to the US, Archie and Lilibet have only been to the UK once, with Charles only having one face-to-face meeting with his youngest granddaughter.

And according to royal biographer Ingrid Seward, the security issue looks to be the barrier when it comes to a royal reunion. She told the Mirror: “Harry and Meghan’s security fears could well be a stumbling block to any kind of reunion with the Royal Family. But no doubt they have been invited to Balmoral this summer.

“As the late Queen discovered, Scotland offers the only quality time a monarch has to devote to family. It would be very sad if Charles was denied the pleasure of seeing his grandchildren just because of Harry’s unfounded security woes.”

Prince Harry sent shockwaves around the world when he released his controversial memoir Spare over a year ago – and one respected royal author believes a telling part of the book hints how another could be in the works

Prince Harry could have a second memoir on the way after dropping a major hint, according to a royal author.

The Duke of Sussex sent shockwaves around the world when his controversial autobiography Spare hit the shelves last year. In it, he revealed private moments with his royal relatives and railed against the likes of his father King Charles and brother Prince William. Since the release of the book, Harry’s relations with his royal relatives have taken a nosedive and are believed to be particularly bad with William, who he accused of physically attacking him during a heated argument in Kensington Palace.

Harry with wife Meghan ( 
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Getty Images for The Archewell F)
And even though the dust appears to have settled following Spare’s release, royal author Robert Hardman, who has written biographies of King Charles and the late Queen, believes Spare doesn’t tell the whole story.

Speaking at the Hay Literary Festival, he was quoted by the Independent as saying: “If you do read that book, and as I said it’s amazing, but if you get to the bit about his wedding to Meghan, it boils down really to about four or five pages. Now, as an author, that says to me one thing and one thing only: part two might be on its way.”

Meanwhile, Mr Hardman added that Spare is still affecting family relations – especially given the timing of when Harry released his book. He explained: “The problem that exists is, at the moment, there is still a trust issue. People are still very wounded, particularly Prince William, that these intimate private childhood family moments all spilled out in Harry’s book.

“It’s not what Harry said, it’s the fact that he said it, and he gave away so many secrets. And he was, effectively, at the time of the Queen’s death, you know, he was taking notes.”

The author’s comments come after Harry himself said he avoided mentioning some anecdotes about his father and brother, as he feared they would never forgive him if he revealed them. He said the original manuscript for his book was twice the length of the final draft and many details about interactions between him, Charles and William were edited out as there were things he didn’t want the world to know.

In the days after Spare’s release Harry admitted he had 50 Zoom calls with his ghostwriter and at times struggled to decide which details to include and which ones to leave out of his memoir.

Harry told The Telegraph: “It could have been two books, put it that way. And the hard bit was taking things out.” The Duke added: “There are some things that have happened, especially between me and my brother, and to some extent between me and my father, that I just don’t want the world to know. Because I don’t think they would ever forgive me.”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visited Nigeria earlier this month and it seems their trip is still causing a stir, with the Duchess of Sussex being slammed for outfit choices

Meghan Markle has been heavily criticised by the First Lady of Nigeria for flaunting her “nakedness everywhere” during her recent visit to the African country.

The Duchess of Sussex spent three days in Nigeria earlier this month, where she was accompanied by her husband Prince Harry. Meghan made a number of outfit changes during the trip and it seems her fashion was taken as an insult by First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.

She gave a speech at an event to mark President Bola Tinubu’s one year in office. During the talk, the First Lasy spoke about how women have made significant contributions to society and made a sly dig about Meghan.

Meghan Markle wore a lot of revealing clothes on the trip ( 
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AFP via Getty Images)
Addressing the crowds, she said: “The message here is we have to salvage our children. We see the way they dress. They keep forgetting that Nigeria, we are beautiful. You can see what they showcase on the stage, I said, ‘We are fashionable, we see what is going on’.

“We are not having the Met Gala. And everyone, the nakedness, is just everywhere and the men are well-clothed. So we have to do something. Tell them we don’t accept nakedness in our culture. That is not beautiful. It’s not beautiful at all.

“And they’re all beautiful girls, but they should be confident in who they are. They do not want to mimic and try to emulate film stars from America. They don’t know where they come from. Why did Meghan come here looking for Africa? That is something we have to take home with. We know who we are. Don’t lose who you are.”

First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, hit out at the Duchess of Sussex ( 
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Arise News)
A clip of the speech has been shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, with one person writing: “Meghan Markle managed to create an international incident! We warned her about the clothes.” Another said: “I agree with the First Lady.”

A third person posted: “She should really respect other people culture and should apologise to the country.” However, others didn’t believe the First Lady was actually hitting out at the Duchess of Sussex.

One person wrote: “The message is not for her. Stop giving yourself a headache because of her,” while another said: “She’s talking about Nigerian girls dressing like the Kardashians. She even said look at Meghan that came here, implying even M was interested in the country. She was talking in praise. Letting girls know they can be proud of their country. Stop twisting het words.”

Meghan spent a lot of money on her outfits ( 
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Meghan wore a lot of different outfits and accessories in Nigeria, spending almost £120,000 on jewellery and new clothes. She wore a number of high-end brands on the trip, including Carolina Herrera, Altuzarra, and Johanna Ortiz.

The decision has been criticised by some given the extreme levels of poverty in Nigeria, where more than 112million people are living in poverty. The inequality is not caused by a lack of resources, with Nigeria being the largest economy in Africa, but instead by those in charge being out of touch with the struggles of everyday people.

The poverty in Nigeria is due to the misallocation of resources, with political corruption adding to the struggles. In one example of poverty in Nigeria, the amount of money the richest Nigerian man can earn annually from his wealth is sufficient to save 2million people from poverty.

Both King Charles and Princess Kate revealed earlier this year that they are each battling cancer – but their individual recovery periods have looked very different

Princess Kate has stayed mostly hidden from public view since announcing her cancer diagnosis in March. In contrast, her father-in-law the King has been seen on a number of occasions, and recently returned to his official duties despite still undergoing treatment. And now insiders have revealed the poignant reason behind their different approaches.

Mum-of-three Kate bravely shared her health battle in a personal video in which she said that post-operative tests had found cancer. It came a month after the King’s own diagnosis was announced by the Palace in a statement that revealed he “remains wholly positive about his treatment and looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible”.

Both Charles and Kate have been undergoing treatment for the disease – although it has not been confirmed which type of cancers they are facing.

Reflecting on Kate’s continued absence from public life, a source told the Daily Mail’s Richard Eden: “King Charles very much wanted to be seen by the public while he was undergoing his own cancer treatment – but this has not been the case for his daughter-in-law, however disappointing that might be for her admirers.

“As Sovereign, His Majesty is in a very different position from the Princess of Wales. There is no need for her to be seen while she’s recovering.”

Earlier this month, William shared a reassuring update on his wife during a two-day visit to southwest England. The Prince of Wales visited St. Mary’s Community Hospital on the Isles of Scilly when hospital administrator Tracy Smith said: “May I ask how Princess Kate is doing?” she said.

William responded that Kate is “doing well.” And when asked about his children— George, Charlotte, and Louis — he joked: “The children are very jealous that I am here… Maybe we might come later in the year.”

The couple shared a joint post in honour of Mental Health Awareness Week, writing on X via the Kensington Royal account: “This #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek we’ve brought together the inspirational Sam Stables from We Are Farming Minds and the brilliant Farmer Will for a very special film.

“Spending a day together on Sam’s farm in Hereford they chatted about mental health in the farming community, finding support and the Duchy of Cornwall’s Mental Health Strategy.”

While the Princess does not personally appear in the video, which can be viewed in full on YouTube, it was produced by both herself and William.

Kate’s work behind the scenes comes after Charles, 75, began public-facing duties again at the end of last month.

Despite reports that he would be undertaking a reduced summer schedule, just last week the monarch undertook five engagements in the space of 48 hours.

Kate last addressed the public in her poignant video, during which she asked for space and privacy as she undergoes preventative chemotherapy.

She explained that it took time to appropriately explain the situation to her and Prince William’s three young children – George, 10, Charlotte, nine, and Louis, six.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle just celebrated their sixth anniversary – but there were problems behind the scenes involving Prince William, Princess Kate and some decor details

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle celebrated their sixth wedding anniversary this month. But their fairytale day proved to be at the centre of a major dispute between the Sussexes and the Prince and Princess of Wales.

Harry opened up about the saga in his 2023 tell-all memoir Spare. He shared his side of events as he spoke about the breakdown in the relationship between the former ‘Fab Four’.

The Duke said he felt sad that his brother and sister-in-law hadn’t bonded with his wife in the way he had hoped – and as such, the two couples decided to sit down to hash out their differences.

One particular sticking point was the fact that William and Kate had reportedly switched name cards at his wedding.

Writing about one meeting, which took place in Kensington Palace in June 2018, Harry said: “For our part, we chipped in that we weren’t too pleased when Willy and Kate switched place cards and changed seats at our wedding. We’d followed the American tradition, placing couples next to each other, but Willy and Kate didn’t like that tradition, so their table was the only one where spouses were apart.

“They insisted it wasn’t them, it was someone else. And they said we’d done the same thing at Pippa’s wedding. We hadn’t. Much as we’d wanted to. We’d been separated by a huge flower arrangement between us, and though we’d desperately wanted to sit together, we hadn’t done a thing about it. None of this airing of grievances was doing us any good, I felt. We weren’t getting anywhere.”

Tensions had been building for some time between the two couples. Elsewhere is his book, Harry tried to set the story straight on the much-reported fallout over bridesmaid dresses between Meghan and Kate. It was initially reported that a disagreement between the bride and her future sister-in-law ended with Kate in tears. But during Meghan and Harry’s interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021, Meghan claimed that she was the one who wept.

According to Harry, the pre-wedding fights kicked into high gear when the two women were discussing wedding day rehearsals, and Kate forgot some insignificant aspect of the nuptial plans. Meghan suggested that the detail slipped Kate’s mind because she had “baby brain”. Kate had given birth to Prince Louis on April 23, 2018, 28 days before Harry and Meghan got married at Windsor Castle and Harry wrote that she was offended by the comment.

Then, four days before the wedding, Kate’s daughter Princess Charlotte tried on her bridesmaids’ dress and found it was far too big. Harry claimed that Kate asked that the dress be completely remade, while Meghan countered that her tailor could alter the ill-fitting frock.

Harry said that after the argument over the dress, he returned home to find Meghan on the floor sobbing. He added that Kate visited the next day with flowers and a card to apologise, a detail that Meghan herself described in the Oprah interview.

The two couples met for a reconciliation tea at Kensington Palace after Meghan and Harry’s honeymoon. Harry claims that Kate confronted Meghan about the “baby brain” comment, saying, “You talked about my hormones. We are not close enough for you to talk about my hormones.”

According to Harry, his wife looked confused by Kate’s comments and insisted that that was the way she spoke to her friends. He alleged that William then pointed at Meghan, called her ‘rude’, and said this wasn’t the way people in Britain behaved. Meghan, in turn, told William to “take your finger out of my face”, Harry recalled.

Prince Harry was overjoyed when Meghan Markle was pregnant with their first child, Prince Archie, and couldn’t wait to share the news with his brother Prince William

Prince William had just four words to say when Prince Harry told him Meghan Markle was pregnant with their first child.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were delighted when they found out they were going to become parents back in 2018. The pair decided to announce the happy news to the Royal Family in October that year at Princess Eugenie’s wedding with Jack Brooksbank.

Harry wrote about the moment in his memoir, Spare, and revealed he told his brother while they were are at the reception in St George’s Hall in Windsor. He wrote: “We were in a big room, suits of armour on the walls. Strange room, strange moment.”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle shared their news at Princess Eugenie’s wedding reception ( 
Image:
WILL OLIVER/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

Prince William gave just a four-word response ( 
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POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Harry recalled William’s response to his news and said he smiled and uttered just four words: “We must tell Kate.” Harry also detailed the Princess of Wales ‘ reaction and said she was overjoyed to hear the news.

He said: “She also gave a big smile and hearty congratulations. They both reacted exactly as I hoped – as I’d wished.” Meghan and Harry also told King Charles about their pregnancy at the wedding.

The Duke of Sussex said the monarch was “delighted” when he found out. Harry wrote: “Just before a drink reception for the bride and groom, we cornered Pa in his study. He was delighted to learn that he was going to be a grandfather for a fourth time; his wide smile warmed me.”

Prince Archie was born in 2019 ( 
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Meghan gave birth to Prince Archie on May 6, 2019 at the Portland Hospital, London. The Sussexes have since gone on to welcome a second child, Princess Lilibet, who was born at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in California, on June 4, 2021.

Harry also wrote about the birth of his first child in his memoir and admitted he was very nervous ahead of the birth. To calm himself down, Harry decided to try out the laughing gas that was meant for his wife.

When Meghan’s labour began, however, Harry was forced to apologise for accidentally using the entire canister of laughing gas. He wrote: “When her contractions began to quicken, and deepen, a nurse came and tried to give some laughing gas to Meg.

“There was none left. The nurse looked at the tank, looked at me, and I could see the thought slowly dawning: Gracious, the husband’s had it all. Sorry, I said meekly.”

Kate Middleton making the picture even more dire with her cancer

Experts fear Kate Middleton is making things even more dire when it comes to her cancer diagnosis

Kate Middleton making the picture even more dire with her cancer

Kate Middleton appears to have been making the future of the monarchy even more unclear with her cancer diagnosis.

Royal commentator Daniela Elser issued all these sentiments in regards to Kate Middleton and her battle with cancer.

According to Ms Elser, “The death of the late Queen represented a pivot point for the royal family to recast and refashion the monarchy for a new generation and century.”

Not to mention, “This should be a moment when Crown Inc, having come through the other side of years of tumult and eyebrow-singing TV interviews and loss, should be relaunching themselves with vim and vigour and most importantly vision.”

But “instead, in the battle for hearts and minds the palace needs to be waging to solidify public support, they seem permanently on the back foot.”

And “Sykes’ revelations, that Kate is possibly out of the picture until 2025, makes this picture even more dire.”

“But lord, who knows. The way 2024 is going, we can’t discount any possibility or scenario, no matter how…oh no, here it comes…extraordinary it might sound,” she also added before signing off in her piece for News.com.au.

Prince Harry’s key statement removed from royal website for THIS reason

In a new move, the royal family removed Prince Harry’s controversial statement in 2016

Prince Harry’s key statement removed from royal website for THIS reason

The royal family recently removed an old statement of Prince Harry from their website.

In November 2016, the Duke of Sussex slammed the press for the “racial undertones of comment pieces” about his wife Meghan Markle.

However, after seven years, his statement has been removed from the Royal Family website.

While the move raised eyebrows, a PR expert named Mayah Riaz noted that it “seems like an admin cleanup.”

“This would be nothing more than a cleaning up process of the Royal website. They could have been implementing updated media strategies or shifting their public image narrative,” she told Mirror.

Mayah added, “As Harry and Meghan are not working royals anymore, that statement is no longer relevant. We don’t know for sure, but it is possible that the removal of the statement could have been related to legal considerations.”

“It may have been determined that the statement was no longer relevant, accurate, or could potentially be used in legal battles or public disputes,” she continued.

The update comes after Sky News Australia reported that Prince Harry’s statement was deleted at some point between December 3 and December 10, 2023.

In his remarks, Harry had also addressed concerns regarding his children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet’s security.

Harry & Meghan Markle touch down in LA after wrapping up three-day Nigeria tour amid ‘delinquency’ row over

PRINCE Harry and Meghan Markle have landed back in California after their charity released a statement following a “delinquency” row.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who had been on what they labelled an “unforgettable” trip to Nigeria, were snapped back home today.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry wrapped up their tour of Nigeria after attending a polo fundraiser event in Lagos

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry wrapped up their tour of Nigeria after attending a polo fundraiser event in
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu welcomed the Duchess of Sussex on Sunday

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu welcomed the Duchess of Sussex on SundayCredit: AFP
Harry beamed as he met youngsters at Giants of Africa at Ilupeju Senior Grammar School
Harry beamed as he met youngsters at Giants of Africa at Ilupeju Senior Grammar SchoolCredit:
The statement released by the Sussexes on their three-day tour
The statement released by the Sussexes on their three-day tourCredit
The couple jetted back to the United States after they watched a charity exhibition match at Lagos Polo Club.

He and wife Meghan spent three days in the West African country, meeting with locals and leaders.

While there they unveiled a partnership between their Archewell Foundation and the non-profit Giants of Africa, which aims to empower young people through sport.

But in the hours that followed the charity hit headlines after it was reportedly declared “delinquent” and ordered to stop raising money.

It was alleged the charity did not file its 2022 tax return or related costs on time.

However, the docs were filed and the cheque sent but it never arrived, reported The Telegraph.

The Sussexes’ charity on Tuesday night broke its silence on the alleged cash woes saying it is “fully compliant”.

A spokesperson said: “We have diligently investigated the situation and can confirm that The Archewell Foundation remains fully compliant and in good standing.

“Due payments were made promptly and in accordance with the IRS’s processes and procedures.

Harry and Meghan on day three of visit to Nigeria
“Furthermore, all necessary paperwork had been filed by the Foundation without error or wrongdoing.”

And in a new statement on Tuesday night, California’s Department of Justice confirmed the charity is “current and in good standing”.

A spokesperson said: said: “After being in touch with our Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, the organisation is current and in good standing.”

As the couple left Nigeria they expressed their “deepest gratitude” for the communities’ “tremendous hospitality”.

Harry and Meghan pose for a photo as they attend the programme held in the Armed Forces Complex in Abuja

Harry and Meghan pose for a photo as they attend the programme held in the Armed Forces Complex in AbujaCredit

The royal couple arrive at the State Governor House in Lagos

The royal couple arrive at the State Governor House in LagosCredit
The Sussexes kicked off their “faux-Royal tour” with a visit to Lightway Academy, a primary and secondary school in the capital.

They then visited Nigeria’s defence HQ on Friday to meet military wives and senior officials.

The following day Harry was snapped playing volleyball, before Meghan referred to Nigeria as “my country”.

Speaking at an event in the capital Abuja on Saturday, the duchess said: “I want to start by saying thank you very much for just how gracious you’ve all been in welcoming my husband and I to this country… my country.

“I am just flattered and honoured and inspired. It has been a whirlwind 24 hours since we arrived.

“And I very quickly got the memo that I need to wear more colour, so I can fit in with all of you and your incredible fashion.”

The Duchess of Sussex recently discovered she was 43 per cent Nigerian, according to a genealogy test.

On Sunday Harry tried his hand at basketball, before they finished up their trip at a charity polo match.

The Sussexes touched down in the capital Abuja on Friday morning to promote the 2025 Invictus Games in Vancouver, Canada.

They began their “faux-Royal tour” with a visit to Lightway Academy, a primary and secondary school in the capital.

On Saturday, Harry showed off his competitive side at an Invictus Games sitting volleyball event.

At a charity event that night, Harry and Meghan were pictured standing for God Save The King.

It came as the pair visited Nigeria’s defence HQ on Friday to meet military wives and senior officials.

He later visited a military hospital in war torn Kaduna, around 200km north of Abuja.

The region has seen horrific fighting between nomadic Fulani herdsman and farmers, as well as an insurgency by Boko Haram Islamists.

Meghan referred to Nigeria as ‘my country’ while co-hosting an event for Women in Leadership.

The Sussexes have since put out a statement about their “unforgettable” trip.

It reads: “Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex concluded their unforgettable trip to Nigeria with a cultural reception in Lagos and a polo match fundraiser for Nigeria: Unconquered.”

Their statement touched on a pre-game parade and a “vibrant display of young enthusiasts in polo gear”.

They hailed the jubilant day “filled with sport and spirit”.

It adds: “The friendly rivalry between the teams, aptly named Duke vs Duchess, added a layer of excitement to the event, with the Duchess’s team claiming victory with a score of 5-3.

“The day was capped off with the couple presenting medals, a gesture of appreciation for the players’ prolific talent and dedication.”

The couple’s message concluded with an extension of their “deepest gratitude” to the welcoming Nigerian community for their “tremendous hospitality”.

Prince Harry attends an exhibition sitting volleyball match at Nigeria Unconquered

Prince Harry attends an exhibition sitting volleyball match at Nigeria UnconqueredCredit
Prince Harry and Meghan arrived at Lagos airport for an Official State Welcome

Prince Harry and Meghan arrived at Lagos airport for an Official State WelcomeCredit:
The Duchess of Sussex referred to Nigeria as ‘my country’ during a talk

The Duchess of Sussex referred to Nigeria as ‘my country’ during a talkCredit

Newsweek’s Chief Royal Correspondent Jack Royston claims Harry and Meghan treated the trip like a royal tour despite it technically being a “private” visit.

Speaking to The Sun’s Royal Exclusive show, Mr Royston said: “It’s not a private trip.

“I mean, it’s so funny because even that announcement of itself was made at a press conference with ‘welcome Duke and Duchess of Sussex’ in the background and big board.

“It’s a little bit all over the place in terms of how they presented it.

“But essentially no it’s not a private trip, it’s very close to an old school royal tour, except for the fact that obviously they haven’t, in general, invited the media as a whole.”

This is Harry and Meghan’s first trip to Nigeria as a couple, although they did a royal tour of southern Africa in 2019 when they were working royals.

They stepped down from royal duties and relocated across the pond in 2020 – with their departure dubbed ‘Megxit’.