Meghan Markle expressed her gratitude to the people of Nigeria for their warm welcome, referring to the country as “my country” after discovering that she has Nigerian ancestry comprising 43%.
The Duchess of Sussex, accompanied by Prince Harry, is currently undertaking a three-day visit to the West African nation. She made these remarks during a panel discussion in Abuja last night (Saturday, May 11), where she shared the stage with Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the director-general of the World Trade Organization.
The panel event focused on female leadership and highlighted the pivotal role that women play in instigating positive change both in Nigeria and on a global scale. It brought together 50 influential women from various sectors including politics, business, media, and culture.
People magazine reported that she told the audience: “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!”
When asked how she felt after discovering she was 43% Nigerian through a genealogy test, Meghan said the first thing she did was “call my mom, because I wanted to know if she had any awareness of it.”
“Being African-American, part of it is really not knowing so much about your lineage or background, where you come from specifically,” People magazine reported. “And it was exciting for both of us to discover more and understand what that really means.
“Never in a million years would I have understood it as much as I do now,” Meghan said. “It’s been really eye-opening and humbling to be able to know more about my heritage and to be able to know this is just the beginning of that discovery.”
Prince Harry and Meghan’s first trip to Nigeria comes after Prince Harry’s short stay in London. The couple has engaged with wounded soldiers and their families, extending support to boost morale and well-being, as per Nigerian officials.
Invited by Nigeria’s chief of defense staff, General Christopher Musa, the couple will interact with injured service members as part of a series of events associated with the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, an initiative founded by Prince Harry.
