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Meghan Markle claims Nigeria as 'My Country' after exploring roots; Keeps her promise after arriving late

ByAditi Srivastava
May 13, 2024 06:33 AM IST

Meghan Markle, after learning of her Nigerian heritage, expresses gratitude for the warm reception in Nigeria. She charms the crowd with an impactful speech

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s recent trip to Nigeria has been nothing short of a triumphant return to the spotlight after keeping a low profile for some time. The Duchess of Sussex, in a colourful display of cultural connection, arrived fashionably late (by an hour!) to a women's leadership summit. However, she quickly made up for it by delivering an impactful yet emotional speech and lovingly declaring Nigeria "my country" after learning of her Nigerian heritage through a genealogy test.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry arrive at a charity polo club in Lagos on May 12, 2024. PHOTO: KOLA SULAIMON/AFP VIA GETTY(AFP via Getty)
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry arrive at a charity polo club in Lagos on May 12, 2024. PHOTO: KOLA SULAIMON/AFP VIA GETTY(AFP via Getty)

Meghan Markle calls Nigeria ‘my country’

Meghan addressed the crowd at the women's event held at the World Trade Organisation in the capital, Abuja, expressing her gratitude and honour for the warm reception she and her husband received from the locals in Nigeria. She even chuckled while mentioning a memo she received advising her to wear more colours to better connect with the people on cultural grounds.

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"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.” The former Suits star said.

In 2022, The Duchess revealed that she underwent a genealogy test and was surprised to discover that she is 43 percent Nigerian. Following the disclosure of their plans to visit Nigeria, multiple reports surfaced indicating Meghan's desire to further explore her ancestral heritage. She previously discussed the difficulties of being an African-American woman, saying that it often means not knowing much about your family history or where you’re originally from.

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In one of her Archetypes podcasts, the mother of two said, “I'm going to start to dig deeper into all this because anybody that I've told, especially Nigerian women, are like 'What!'”

Meghan Keeps her promise

After her appearance in the capital, the estranged royals travelled to Lagos, and Meghan kept her promise to include more colours in her dressing palette. Earlier in Abuja, she expressed, "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 color, so I can fit in with all of you and your incredible fashion."

After landing in Lagos, the couple headed straight to the residence of Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Governor of Lagos State, where they engaged in a private meeting. Meghan flaunted a bright yellow flowy dress, which she later accessorised with an additional shawl. The striped shawl that matched her outfit was reportedly a gift from the Governor’s wife to the Duchess.

The Governor praised Prince Harry, mentioning that the Duke embarked on a very informative and interesting trip to the country. He said, "He has seen a lot and is still soaking in a whole lot. One of the things we are hoping he will take away is seeing the diversity and the extent of how big our country is, and how we continue to ensure that we live together in peace and harmony."

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