The British High Commissioner said the Sussexes will not be representing the UK in Abuja during their 72-hour tour which will see them promote the Invictus Games.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been criticised for their trip to Nigeria (Image: Getty)

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been hit by stinging criticism that their trip to Nigeria is an “unofficial royal tour”.

The British High Commissioner said the Sussexes will not be representing the UK in Abuja during their 72-hour tour which will see them promote the Invictus Games.

But many observers have noted that the trip bears many similarities to a traditional royal tour.

Richard Montgomery, the country’s high commissioner to Nigeria, is keen to dispel any illusions the pair are on official business.

He told the news agency of Nigeria: “It’s great that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are visiting Nigeria, which I understand is at the invitation of Defence Headquarters.

The Sussexes are currently visiting Abuja (Image: Getty)

“But they are visiting in a private capacity, not an official one. So, the British High Commission is not involved in arranging or facilitating their programme. They are not representing the work of His Majesty’s Government on this visit.”

The pair flew overnight to Nigeria with British Airways, with their plane slightly delayed after the scheduled pilot went sick and a replacement had to be scrambled.

The Sussexes were seated in the first class section of the Boeing 777 and were kept apart from other passengers by a curtain for what was their first visit to Nigeria.

When they arrived in Nigeria just before 5am today, other travellers were held back while the couple were escorted off and the Sussexes exchanged smiles with cabin crew as they left.

Nigerian officials met them at the airport, Abuja Nnamdi Azikiwe International, and they were taken out of a side door onto the jetty and into a waiting blacked-out minibus.

Meghan was wearing black trousers and a brown jacket, while Harry walked behind in a black jacket and trousers and open-necked shirt.