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King Charles said his schedule was too full to meet his son Harry while Prince William didn’t say anything at all, choosing to keep silent instead, royal author Tom Quinn said

Prince William seems to act as if his younger brother Harry “no longer exists” and his silence is “deafening”, a royal expert has said.

The Duke of Sussex visited the UK this week to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games. Harry, 39, was joined for the service of thanksgiving by close relatives of his mother Diana, and a mentor who supported him after her death.

The St Paul’s Cathedral service to recognise the Paralympic-style competition the royal founded began as a few miles away King Charles met guests at the first Buckingham Palace garden party of the year. The monarch and his son have not met during Harry’s brief UK visit due to the King’s “full programme”, said the duke’s spokesman in a statement.

Prince William didn’t say anything about his brother’s visit to the UK ( 
Image:
WireImage)

Harry travelled to London but didn’t meet his family ( 
Image:
Getty Images for Invictus Games)
And Harry did not even meet his brother William, who unlike his father, did not issue an excuse, pointed out royal author Tom Quinn. According to the expert, Harry’s visit did “nothing” to repair damaged royal relations as the duke appeared to be “publicly snubbed by his father and brother”.

Mr Quinn told The Mirror : “Harry’s visit to the UK has done nothing to repair royal relations – Harry has been very publicly snubbed by his father and brother. Despite being stricken with cancer King Charles says he is too busy to see his son; Harry’s brother doesn’t even bother to issue an excuse.

“He says nothing. It is as if Harry no longer exists. There’s been no obvious criticism from either side, but the silence from William is deafening.”

Among the guests for the Invictus service were Diana’s siblings Lady Jane Fellowes and Earl Spencer, and former army officer Mark Dyer, who acted as the duke’s mentor, playing the role of a supportive big brother figure for Harry after the princess’s death. Crowds gathered around crash barriers to see the duke’s car pull up, and there was a large number of journalists, photographers, and cameramen covering his every move.

Harry acknowledged them with a wave as he strode up St Paul’s steps and was warmly greeted warmly greeted by the Dean of St Paul’s, the Very Reverend Andrew Tremlett. Harry was inspired to found the global tournament after attending the Warrior Games in Colorado in 2013 and seeing how injured American military personnel thrived on the challenge of taking part in competitive sports that aided their recovery.

He went on to stage the inaugural games in London’s Olympic Park in 2014 and the tournament has been held across the globe from Orlando and Sydney to Dusseldorf in 2023, with the 2025 event being hosted in Vancouver and Whistler. The St Paul’s congregation of just over 1,000 people gave a standing ovation after ex-RAF servicewoman Michelle Turner, her husband John and daughter Maya each read verses of a poem that described their experiences following Mrs Turner’s medical discharge, after a tropical disease she caught while on deployment affected her heart.

Many assumed Harry would visit his father when he came to London this week ( 
Image:
Getty Images)
Mrs Turner, Team UK captain for the 2018 Games, told the guests: “Wounded, injured, sick, and now with no career: consumed by insecurities, the pain and the fear. Our lives were upside down, how could it be, that the little girl I was meant to protect, was now looking after me.”

At the end, after her voice broke with emotion as she said “Thank you Invictus for giving my life back”, the congregation stood and applauded. The Dean of St Paul’s echoed her words in his sermon when he said the Invictus Games Foundation, which organises the competition, was ” … not only changing lives through sport but quite literally by saving lives.”

Harry later joined some of the Invictus community for a private reception in the cathedral’s crypt. He was later reunited with his wife, Meghan Markle, at Heathrow, with the Duchess of Sussex landing on Thursday from Los Angeles and waiting for her husband in the VIP Windsor Suite of the airport.

Many people gathered to see Harry at St Paul’s Cathedral on May 8 ( 
Image:
AFP via Getty Images)DON’T MISS
The Sussexes have now landed in Nigeria after travelling to Abuja on a British Airways flight. When they arrived in Abuja, other travellers were held back as they were escorted off the plane.

Nigerian officials met them at Abuja, where they were taken out of a side door onto the jetty and into a waiting minibus. In Nigeria, they will visit the country’s military headquarters and promote the Invictus Games during their trip.

Today, the couple will visit Lagos following their trip to the Nigerian Defence Headquarters. Nigerian officials said the couple’s trip will last until Monday, and a representative for the couple confirmed to The Mirror that members of the media will also be joining them on the visit.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry spent time at the Lights Academy in Nigeria, where the Duke of Sussex gave a passionate speech on the taboo surrounding mental health struggles

Prince Harry delivered an “absolutely monumental” speech as he discussed the importance of destigmatising mental health struggles, according to an expert.

The Duke of Sussex was joined by Meghan Markle at the Lights Academy in Abuja as part of their tour of Nigeria. Addressing the room, Harry said: “There is a stigma against mental health. Too many people don’t want to talk about it because it’s invisible, it’s in your mind and we can’t see it.”

He added: “But guess what, every single person in this room, the youngest, the oldest, every single person has mental health. So therefore, you have to look after yourself in order to be able to help other people, other people have to look after themselves in order to be able to look after you.” Mental health expert Rychel Johnson, M.S., LCPC, has told The Mirror Harry’s speech is a “breath of fresh air”.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visited the Lights Academy in Nigeria
She said: “As someone who has been in the therapy trenches for a number of years now specialising in anxiety disorders, Prince Harry’s candid comments on mental health felt like a breath of fresh air. In my line of work, I regularly bear witness to the utterly devastating toll that bottled-up psychological struggles can unleash on every aspect of someone’s life.”

She added: “Harry was spot on in pointing out how mental health issues carry this invisible, insidious quality that allows them to fester in silence and secrecy. So many of my clients have walked through my office doors weighed down by profound shame and self-loathing precisely because their internal suffering lacks the external validation of a physical ailment or condition.

“The stigma perpetuates the suffering. That’s why I found his reassurances about the full emotional spectrum – sadness, stress, overwhelm, you name it – being totally normal, natural human experiences to be so powerfully validating.”

They’re taking part in a brief tour of the African country ( 
Image:
AP)
In his speech, Harry said: “If you woke up this morning feeling sad, if you left school feeling stressed, if you’ve lost a loved one in your family who you usually turn to or speak to, all of these things you may be led to believe are not for conversation. We are here today to tell you that that is not the case.

“Every single one of those things is completely normal.” Rychel praised Harry for trying to break down the taboo surrounding mental health.

She told us: “Our culture has this bizarre hang-up about upholding unrealistic ideals of stoicism and rigid emotional restraint. It breeds this toxic mentality that any display of vulnerability equates to weakness or deficiency. By boldly giving voice to those “bad days” and recognising them as the inevitable emotional storms we all have to weather sometimes, Harry is extending this simple yet radical permission to embrace our messy shared humanity without disclaimer or apology.”

Rychel said Harry’s speech was “absolutely monumental”. The expert explained: “When high-profile figures lead by example with this level of emotional honesty, it inherently creates more breathing room for others to follow suit without fearing intense stigma or backlash.”

She concluded: “Having impassioned advocates like Prince Harry is vital for propelling that cultural shift toward greater openness, acceptance and resource accessibility around mental health care. It’s a powerful first step in the right direction.”

Meghan and Harry announce the joyous news: They have found a key figure to help them seize the British monarchy. “I will have the support of the entire world to ascend to the throne.”

Meghan Markle’ won over fans whilst on her recent trip to Nigeria alongside husband Prince Harry.

The three day trip, which has been likened to a royal tour despite the couple no longer being working royals, has been deemed a success with Meghan being described by an onlooker as ‘cheerful and warm’ and ‘a role model for young women’.

The comments come as Meghan’s popularity has seen her ranked on the list of ‘most disliked celebrities of 2024’ alongside husband Harry. The pair might have been deemed as unpopular due to getting low scores, but she received a glowing report from a senior figure on her Nigeria trip.

Speaking to Vanity Fair after Meghan’s three day trip to Nigeria, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, a Nigerian-American economist who is currently serving as the director-general of the World Trade Organisation, praised the Duchess’ personality. She said: “She’s a role model for young women, she’s a woman who is not in an easy position, and people are looking to see—how is she managing and navigating this? That’s one of the things she brings: inspiration. You can see in spite of that, she’s a cheerful, warm personality, and everybody in the room took to her.”

Despite the praise, Meghan and Harry’s trip to Nigeria reportedly causing upset in the royal family, with commentators noting their visit to Nigeria had all the hallmarks of a royal tour. It also appears there will be similar trips for Harry and Meghan on the cards in the future, as in a message thanking the people of Nigeria following their return home, they described it as “the first of many trips”.

The trip is thought to have angered the royal family, and in particular Prince William. Royal author Tom Quinn told The Mirror: “William is absolutely furious and determined to find a way to stop this happening in future. Charles is said to be angrier than anyone has ever seen him.

“What’s really upset the applecart is the fact that the Nigerians treated Meghan and Harry as if they too thought this was an official tour – all the signs were there as the couple were greeted with dances, receptions, visits to schools and charities.”

Reflecting on Meghan and Harry’s trip, Mr Quinn argued that it’s “easy to see why the senior royals are worried” and said it could be that the Nigeria visit was designed to give the impression Harry and Meghan were still working royals.

“Everything you might expect from an official Royal visit was there – the receptions, the visits to schools and charities, to wounded soldiers and the disabled. Meghan and Harry’s speeches and their whole attitude has been designed to give the impression that they are still fully paid-up royals and William and his father King Charles don’t like it one bit,” he concluded.

Prince Harry was joined by Meghan Markle as he spoke passionately about mental health struggles during their trip to Nigeria, which is in aid of the Invictus Games

Prince Harry spoke passionately about breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health struggles, with one expert pointing out a key message fans might have missed.

The Duke of Sussex was joined by Meghan Markle at the Lights Academy in Abuja, Nigeria, where he spoke about how mental health is “still something we are relatively unsure of”. Wellness expert and mental health mentor Sara Goode praised Harry for his openness. She pointed to a “key” statement Harry made and said it can be a great reminder for those struggling.

Harry said: “Every single person in this room, the youngest, the oldest, every single person has mental health. So therefore, you have to look after yourself in order to be able to help other people, other people have to look after themselves in order to be able to look after you. That’s the way it works.”

Prince Harry gave a talk about mental health ( 
Image:
AFP via Getty Images)
Speaking exclusively to The Mirror, Sara said: “This statement is key, if each of us learns to process and deal with our own emotional needs first, we stop projecting our feelings and therefore thoughts and judgements onto others. As the saying goes, ‘healed people heal people, hurt people hurt people’.

“Taking responsibility for how we feel, and being brave enough to ask for help when we need it shows everyone around us that it is OK to not be OK, we are all vulnerable in different ways, but we can find collective strength in that vulnerability when we take ownership of it.”

Elsewhere in his speech, the Duke of Sussex added: “Every single one of those things is completely normal. It is a human reaction, whether it’s grief, stress, whatever the feeling is, it comes from experiences you have had.” Harry stressed how anyone can suffer from mental health issues “on any given day”.

He was joined by Meghan Markle ( 
Image:
AFP via Getty Images)
In response, Sara said: “Our vast range of human emotions is completely normal and valid. It is our experience of what happens when we express our emotions that lead us to deal with them in unhealthy ways.

“From the moment we tell boys they shouldn’t cry, because it’s not ‘manly’, or we tell little girls that are having a ‘tantrum’ that it isn’t very ladylike to be angry; we are teaching them their feelings are invalid, or wrong. Our experiences write the story of our lives and become the things we believe – if we aren’t taught to express emotions in healthy ways, they eventually erupt out of us in unhealthy reactions and beliefs.”

The mental health expert also said Harry’s speech was “incredibly important”. She added: “For high profile figures to talk about their own struggles, it shows true leadership when you can open up and show people that vulnerability does not mean weakness.

“There is huge bravery in speaking out and asking for help; fear and courage are just opposite extremes of the same emotion, and the more people show this courage, the less everyone else fears the stigma.”

An expert has revealed how Prince William and Princess Kate’s only daughter, Princess Charlotte is just like her mum on royal engagements.

Princess Kate and Princess Charlotte at Wimbledon 2023 (Image: Getty)

Whether it’s dressing up like their mums or copying their phrases, children love to mimic their parents and Prince William and Princess Kate’s only daughter, Princess Charlotte is no different.

The nine-year-old royal appears to be becoming more and more “composed” when meeting the general public, more so than her older brother and heir-to-the-throne Prince George, a royal expert has claimed.

Many appearances, however, still seem “choreographed” because the children are yet to adjust to press attention. Speaking to OK! Magazine, historian Dr Tessa Dunlop said Charlotte is “in many ways more relaxed than George”.

Dr Dunlop also likened her behaviour to her mother’s, saying Princess Kate has “always been very composed”. She said: “Kate is not a fool, she knows they’ve got a whole life ahead of them. It’s just slowly and incrementally upping exposure but very much on their terms and quite choreographed.”

A royal expert believes Charlotte “copies” mum Kate (Image: Getty)

Princess Charlotte is also often demonstrating her kind nature in public outings, according to royal fans. Last Christmas when the wider Royal Family attended Christmas Service at Sandringham, they greeted crowds and well-wishers.

Social media users noted the sweet bond the Princess shared with the child of Zara and Mike Tindall – Mia Tindall.

The moment was highlighted in a clip by TikToker @wikagelchlo, garnering upwards of three million views so far. The caption of the post read: “Princess Charlotte let Mia get the flowers that were for her, but she let her get it.”

Another social media user followed with: “It melts your heart, doesn’t it? They are clearly very close and I bet they get up to some mischief when they are all together. Wonderful memories being made.”

Expert, Dr Dunlop said Kate is “clever” at organising her family, with care taken for her daughter’s camera angles and photographs making people “believe we see a lot more of Charlotte than we really do”.

Princess Charlotte was keeping Prince Louis “in check” at the Coronation (Image: Getty)
 

While the royal children attend events less often than their parents, recent outings have shown the young Princess making sure Prince Louis is on his best behaviour.

She helped calm the cheeky five-year-old, who has become famous for his public antics, during King Charles III’s Coronation.

The royal held her brother’s hand as they processed through Westminster Abbey behind William and Kate. She continued to look after him throughout the ceremony when he was spotted yawning and pointing at features of the abbey.

Princess Charlotte demonstrated her maturity again when she calmly waved at the crowds while her young brother banged on the Buckingham Palace balcony after the ceremony.

Breaking News: You don’t have to treat me disrespectfully because I’m like your mother. “I wish you were never born. No one will ever love you.” Meghan Markle was the target of Queen Camila’s ire because of this.

 

Over the years, Prince Harry’s strained relationship with the royal family has been a talking point for many.

 

Following his wife Meghan Markle’s interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021, the release of their Netflix docuseries, Harry & Meghan, and his explosive memoir Spare, royal watchers have been given their side of the story which shows how deep-rooted the tensions are between the families.

Back in January 2023, the world got an extremely insight into the friction when Harry released his. One of the biggest revelations was how critical Prince Harry is of his stepmother, Queen Camilla.

During one of his televised interviews on CBS with Anderson Cooper, the Duke explained: “She was the third person in their marriage. She needed to rehabilitate her image.”

In the book, it was detailed how Harry and his brother Prince William had asked their father, King Charles, not to marry the now-Queen Consort. “We didn’t think it was necessary. We thought it would do more harm than good,” he revealed on CBS. “Why go that far when you don’t necessarily need to? We wanted him to be happy. And we saw how happy he was with her. So, at the time, it was, ‘OK.’”

The American journalist then probed: “You wrote that she started a campaign in the British press to pave the way for a marriage. And you wrote, ‘I even wanted Camilla to be happy. Maybe she’d be less dangerous if she was happy.’ How was she dangerous?” To which, Harry replied: “Because of the need for her to rehabilitate her image. That made her dangerous because of the connections that she was forging within the British press. And there was open willingness on both sides to trade information.

 

And with a family built on hierarchy, and with her on the way to being queen consort, there was going to be people or bodies left in the street because of that.” In the memoir, the Duke also wrote that Camilla “sacrificed me on her personal PR altar”.

Here we take a look back at some of the moments Prince Harry has shared with his stepmother, Queen Camilla. In 2005, both Prince Harry and Prince William were among the party who attended Charles’ wedding to Camilla in April 2005 – the private civil ceremony took place at Windsor’s Guildhall.

Photos from the day show the royal brothers happily posing with the then-newlyweds and Camilla’s two children from her previous marriage, Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes.

Prince Harry released a strongly-worded statement about ‘racial undertones’ in reporting of his relationship with his then-girlfriend Meghan Markle in 2016, but last week the Royal Family removed it out of the blue

The Royal Family have started the process of “expunging Prince Harry and Meghan Markle from history”, according to a royal expert.

The Duke of Sussex issued a strongly-worded statement against the press in November 2016 as he slammed certain news opinion pieces for having “racial undertones”. The statement was released by Kensington Palace just days after Harry’s relationship with Meghan was made public and it was live on the royal.co.uk website for more than seven years until it was removed out of the blue last week.

And now royal author and expert Tom Quinn exclusively tells The Mirror that the Royal Family had “long wanted to remove the statement” and “gradually expunge” the Duke and Duchess of Sussex from royal history.

“Removing Prince Harry‘s 2016 statement about Meghan from the royal website tells us a lot about how the senior royals are determined to forget the past – and Prince Harry’s part in it,” Quinn tells us. “The statement was an attack on the press for writing about his then girlfriend Meghan Markle in a way that Harry thought was deeply unfair, but if Harry wrote the statement, it was very much inspired by Meghan.”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announcing their engagement in 2017 during an official photocall at Kensington Palace ( 
Image:
Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
Before Harry’s relationship with Meghan he was one of the country’s most eligible bachelors and had two public relationships with Chelsy Davy and Cressida Bonas. Quinn continued: “Harry’s previous girlfriends had always been subject to huge press speculation and Harry knew this just went with being a royal or being the girlfriend of a royal. He was surprised and delighted when Meghan insisted they should fight back and they have been fighting back ever since.”

Quinn insists the royals’ decision to remove the statement hints at a bigger motive. “The senior royals’ plan is to gradually expunge Harry and Meghan from royal history,” Quinn claims. “They have long wanted to remove the statement, but needed to do it during a quiet time to reduce the chances of Harry and Meghan crying foul and claiming they were yet again being punished.” The Mirror has contacted Buckingham Palace for comment.

Harry’s statement was released by former Kensington Palace communications secretary Jason Knauf and came following an article in The Mail on Sunday which read: “Harry’s girl is (almost) straight outta Compton: Gang-scarred home of her mother revealed—so will he be dropping by for tea?”

In response, Harry’s statement read: “The past week has seen a line crossed. His girlfriend, Meghan Markle, has been subject to a wave of abuse and harassment. Some of this has been very public—the smear on the front page of a national newspaper; the racial undertones of comment pieces; and the outright sexism and racism of social media trolls and web article comments. Some of it has been hidden from the public—the nightly legal battles to keep defamatory stories out of papers; her mother having to struggle past photographers in order to get to her front door; the attempts of reporters and photographers to gain illegal entry to her home and the calls to police that followed; the substantial bribes offered by papers to her ex-boyfriend; the bombardment of nearly every friend, co-worker, and loved one in her life.

“Prince Harry is worried about Ms. Markle’s safety and is deeply disappointed that he has not been able to protect her. It is not right that a few months into a relationship with him that Ms. Markle should be subjected to such a storm. He knows commentators will say this is ‘the price she has to pay’ and that ‘this is all part of the game.’ He strongly disagrees. This is not a game—it is her life and his.”

A superstar couple’s child was said to be a guest at the plush party for Princess Lilibet. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry went all out to make sure their daughter had the perfect day

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle celebrated their daughter Lilibet turning three this week.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are believed to have welcomed a major celebrity child to Princess Lilibet’s birthday party at the weekend and while the Royal Family didn’t attend the party, close friends and family of the Sussexes were there as well as some of Lilibet’s friends.

Royal author Tom Quinn has claimed celebrities including Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom with their daughter Daisy were also at the bash. It was said to be ‘awash’ with famous faces.

Lilibet celebrated her birthday this week ( 
Image:
PA)

Harry and Meghan ‘welcomed major celebrity child to Princess Lilibet’s birthday party’ ( 
Image:
Alexi Lubomirski/Duke and Duchess of Sussex)
In an exclusive chat with The Mirror, Tom said: “Rather than go for a low-key celebration Harry and Meghan have spent the past weekend enjoying a pre-birthday bash for their daughter Lillibet’s third birthday – hugely expensive presents have been ruled out but the couple’s mansion in California was awash with celebrities including Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom and their daughter Daisy who is just a few months older than Lilibet.”

Meghan and Harry became neighbours with Katy and Orlando when they moved to their home in Montecito after stepping down from the Royal Family. They also live close to Ellen DeGeneres, Gwyneth Paltrow and Oprah Winfrey.

While there were plenty of celebrities at Lilibet’s birthday party, members of the Royal Family weren’t invited. Tom said: “Shockingly no invitations to Lilibet’s party were issued to members of the Royal Family.

“One of Harry’s old army friends said: ‘Harry knew they wouldn’t come anyway and he was pretty sure he would not have wanted them there. But he is really sad that Archie and Lilibet cannot have any kind of relationship with their cousins while his feud with his family continues’.”

Lilibet has only met the Royal Family once; when Harry and Meghan brought their children to the UK for the late Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations. The event coincided with Lilibet’s first birthday.

Her family held an intimate backyard picnic at Frogmore Cottage to celebrate. Photographer Misan Harriman was one of the few people on the guestlist. He shared snaps from the party on social media and wrote: “It was such a privilege to celebrate the 1st birthday of Lilibet with my family and hers! Joy and face painting all around!”

Prince William was asked about his daughter Princess Charlotte during a Royal engagement and gave a surprising insight into her current school life

Prince William shared a surprising insight into his daughter’s education after a young fan quizzed him on Princess Charlotte’s absence (Image: Getty)

During the 80th anniversary commemoration of the D-Day landings, King Charles, Queen Camilla, and Prince William were approached by a young admirer who was curious about Princess Charlotte’s whereabouts.

Prince William not only addressed her query but also unexpectedly divulged details about his daughter’s schooling.

At the poignant event in Portsmouth on Wednesday, Prince William encountered the great-granddaughter of Captain Alastair Bannerman, who had participated in the D-Day Landings.

Following his recitation from Captain Bannerman’s diary, William engaged with the young girl, asking her if she enjoyed watching the Red Arrows’ performance in the sky.

The conversation took an interesting turn when the woman with the girl mentioned: “I think she was going to ask you where Charlotte was,” revealing the child’s admiration for the princess.

 

Over the years, Prince William and his daughter Princess Charlotte have showcased their close bond at several royal events including Trooping the Colour (Image: Getty)

Prince William promptly clarified that “Charlotte’s at school! ” and then crouched down to the girl’s height to share more about Princess Charlotte’s academic commitments, saying: “Charlotte’s got exams.”

Like many youngsters across the nation, Charlotte was diligently preparing for her exams and faced them this week, which regrettably meant she couldn’t be present at the memorial, a fact she wasn’t too pleased about.

“Yes, she had tests. She wasn’t looking forward to the school day,” the Royal father confessed, before optimistically crossing his fingers in a silent gesture of luck for his daughter as he continued: “Hopefully it’s all gone well.”

These recent remarks offer another peek into the warm relationship between Prince William and Princess Charlotte, who have frequently charmed onlookers with their tender interactions.

Princess Charlotte was absent from the memorial as she had prior school commitments – including sitting her exams! (Image: UK Press via Getty Images)

Notable moments that have captured the public’s affection include Charlotte’s endearing embrace with her father during the Trooping the Colour ceremony at Buckingham Palace last year, and their joint show of encouragement for the England women’s football team before their major tournament matches last summer, reports the Mirror.

Charlotte is buckling down for her exams this week, but she’s not the first Royal to hit the books. Last year, Kate Middleton shared that Prince George isn’t a fan of the ‘repetitive nature’ of constant exams.

During a visit to a Welsh high school last October, Kate revealed: “George is just at the beginning of being tested. He says, ‘Mummy, I keep getting tested all the time.’ But when it gets to A-levels you feel like you’re on it,” as reported by The Sun.

Kate had to forgo joining Prince William in Singapore for his Earthshot Prize Awards last November, opting instead to stay in Windsor to support George through his demanding exam period.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will be in Nigeria until Monday after they were invited to visit the country by its Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle have attended a volleyball match as their 72-hour-whistle-stop trip to Nigeria continues, with the couple positively glowing while greeting bystanders and accepting gifts.

The Duke of Sussex and his wife were seen arriving for an exhibition sitting volleyball match at Nigeria Unconquered, a local charity organisation that supports wounded, injured, or sick servicemembers, in Abuja. This comes as part of their visit to Nigeria as part of celebrations of the 10th Invictus Games anniversary.

The Sussexes were invited to Nigeria by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, who met Harry last September at the Invictus Games in Düsseldorf, Germany. Their invite came after Meghan found out about her Nigerian heritage.

The couple held hands as they made their way to the event ( 
Image:
AFP via Getty Images)

Meghan could be seen looking glamorous in a black and white printed dress, while her husband looked dapper in some smart trousers as he kept it casual with an Invictus Games polo shirt. The couple beamed as they walked hand-in-hand, with Meghan donning some sunglasses and holding onto the skirt of her dress.

Other photos saw Meghan chatting to bystanders, with her crouching down to speak to children, who looked content in her company and awestruck to meet the Duchess.

Meghan greeted bystanders at the event ( 
Image:
AFP via Getty Images)
In one sweet snap, Meghan could be seen looking at a hand-drawn and painted picture, with the Duchess beaming brightly and smiling wide. She held onto the frame of the picture while kneeling down while surrounded by onlookers.

Another snap from the second day of their tour saw Meghan cuddling a young child who had given her some red roses. Meghan looked very taken aback by the sweet gesture, with the young girl looking excited to have gifted the Duchess some flowers.

Meghan looked at a hand-drawn picture with her eyes wide and smile bright ( 
Image:
AFP via Getty Images)
This comes after Harry gave a moving speech about mental health while the couple visited a school on Friday. Speaking to the children and addressing the room, the Duke said: “In some places around the world, more than you would believe, there is a stigma against mental health. Too many people don’t want to talk about it because it’s invisible, it’s in your mind and we can’t see it.”

Meghan could be seen hugging a child at the event who had given her some red roses ( 
Image:
AFP via Getty Images)DON’T MISS
He added: “There is no shame to be able to acknowledge that today is a bad day. Okay? If you woke up this morning feeling sad, if you left school feeling stressed, if you’ve lost a loved one in your family who you usually turn to or speak to, all of these things you may be led to believe are not for conversation.

“We are here today to tell you that that is not the case. Every single one of those things is completely normal. It is a human reaction, whether it’s grief, stress, whatever the feeling is, it comes from experiences you have had.”

Harry and Meghan watched a volleyball match today in Nigeria ( 
Image:
AFP via Getty Images)

Lynn Carratt from Press Box PR said told The Mirror the couple would likely want to “generate some positive stories” during their trip, with their security at the forefront of their minds. She explained: “Nigeria is a country where Meghan and Harry are celebrated, and they’ll want to generate some positive stories for the visit. I’m sure as they are with any overseas trip to any country, security will be [at] the forefront of their mind and will be meticulously planned.”

Harry applauded as he took part in an exhibition sitting volleyball match at Nigeria Unconquered ( 
Image:
AFP via Getty Images)
The Sussexes’ trip to West Africa comes after Harry jetted from America to the UK for a service of thanksgiving for the Invictus Games on May 8 in London. Harry gave a speech and was supported by his aunt and uncle during his brief visit, which came as his father was “too busy” to meet with him.