Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are visiting Nigeria for three days of meetings and events primarily connected with the Invictus Games, kicking off on May 10.
The couple have a long-held association with Africa and have spent time in a number of countries on the continent, however, this will be their first public visit to Nigeria.
The news of their trip raised eyebrows in Britain as it was revealed they had been invited by Nigeria's chief of defense staff, General Christopher Musa, the country's top ranking military official.
Despite this, the visit is not an official royal tour which would be undertaken at the request of the British government. Harry and Meghan are no longer working royals following their exit from the monarchy in 2020. Their trip to Nigeria then is ostensibly a private one connected with Harry's role as founder and patron of the Invictus Games.
During their time in the country, Harry and Meghan will be exposed to its diverse and celebrated culture, while also learning about the ways it is supporting its veteran community.
Here, Newsweek looks at everything you need to know about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's three-day visit to Nigeria.
Itinerary
Day 1: May 10
Harry and Meghan's first day in Nigeria beginning in the capital city of Abuja sees the couple take part in a quiet welcome ceremony, a school visit, a meeting with the chief of defense staff, General Christopher Musa, and a visit to sick and wounded servicemen at a military hospital.
Day 2: May 11
People reports that on the second day of their trip, Harry and Meghan will first visit the Nigeria: Unconquered organization where they will meet staff who oversee and organize the country's participation in the Invictus Games. They will also attend a reception for military families later in the day.
The publication also reports that Meghan will co-host a "Women in Leadership" event with director general of the World Trade Organization, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
Day 3: May 12
On the third day of their visit, Harry and Meghan will have a meeting in Lagos with governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in addition to a cultural reception and other events, details of which have yet to be confirmed.
Newsweek approached representatives of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle via email for comment regarding their full itinerary.
Why Are Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Visiting Nigeria?
Harry and Meghan are visiting Nigeria on the invitation of Nigeria's chief of defense staff, General Christopher Musa in connection with the prince's role as founder and patron of the Invictus Games.
Nigeria recently joined the Invictus Games community, sending a national team to the sports tournament for wounded, sick and injured veterans for the first time in 2023 where they were held in Düsseldorf, Germany.
Nigeria is reportedly hoping to one day host the games which are held in a different world city every other year. The 2025 games will be held in Canada and the 2027 games will either take place in Birmingham, England or Washington D.C.
The organization which decides the host cities is the Invictus Games Foundation of which Harry is a prominent member.
What Links Do The Couple Have With The Country?
Harry and Meghan have forged strong links with Africa both together over the course of their relationship and individually.
Previously the couple spent a romantic vacation together in Botswana while they were dating. It was during this trip that Harry later said "I knew I had found a soul mate in my wife."
In 2019, Harry and Meghan undertook an official tour to Africa on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II and the U.K. Government. Accompanying them to South Africa was the couple's infant son, Prince Archie.
Harry and Meghan also have forged working relationships with a number of charitable organizations on the continent focused on conservation and youth development.
Despite their links to several African countries, May's trip marks the couple's first public visit to Nigeria.
In 2022, Meghan revealed that she has a personal link to the country, sharing on her Archetypes podcast that she discovered through DNA testing that she is "43 percent Nigerian."
"I'm going to start to dig deeper into all this because anybody that I've told, especially Nigerian women, are like 'What!'" she told listeners.
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan Markle and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
James Crawford-Smith is a Newsweek Royal Reporter, based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on the British royal family ... Read more
