Meghan Markle told Nigerians that it felt ‘appropriate to be in the motherland’ on US Mother’s Day – but also admitted that she her missed her children Archie and Lilibet.

The Duchess of Sussex said at Lagos State Government House that she was ‘very grateful’ and ‘very humbled’ by the welcome the couple had received on their tour.

Meghan told the event yesterday: ‘Today is Mother’s Day (in America). 

So it feels appropriate that although of course we are missing our children, I’m missing my babies, it feels very appropriate to be in the motherland and amongst family.’

The Duchess, who was also honoured with a naming ceremony and received a handwoven Nigerian fabric.

Added: ‘Thank you so much for the kindness and for these beautiful names, I’m very grateful. I can’t wait to come back.’

Her husband Prince Harry also spoke to the gathering, describing those in the room as his ‘in laws’, adding: ‘I’ll skip the protocol because at this point we’re all family.’

He continued: ‘Thank you for welcoming my wife and myself to Nigeria. It’s our first visit. It certainly won’t be our last. Thank you for the naming ceremony. I don’t know how I got dragged into that as well, but to be able to witness it as well next to my wife, it means a huge amount to both of us but especially her, so thank you for that.’

Their visit comes after Meghan revealed on her Archetypes podcast in October 2022 that she found out through the DNA-based test that she was ’43 per cent Nigerian’.

The Sussexes were invited to the West African nation by its military, with their three-day visit intended to promote mental health for soldiers and empower young people.

Lagos governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu told reporters: ‘We’ve extended an additional invitation to them that they can always come back when they want to.’

Harry and Meghan arrived in Lagos yesterday where Nigeria’s fashion and traditional dances were on full display.

The couple were treated to different bouts of dancing, starting at Lagos airport where a troupe’s acrobatic moves left Harry and Meghan applauding and grinning.

One of the dancers, who looked younger than five years old, exchanged salutes with Harry from high up in the air as he stood on a colleague’s shoulders.

Going with Meghan’s white top was the traditional Nigerian aso oke, a patterned handwoven fabric wrapped around the waist and often reserved for special occasions. It was a gift from a group of women a day earlier.

The couple visited a local charity, Giants of Africa, which uses basketball to empower young people.

There, they were treated to another round of dancing before unveiling a partnership between the organisation and their Archewell Foundation.

‘What you guys are doing here at Giants of Africa is truly amazing,’ Harry said. ‘The power of sport can change lives. It brings people together and creates community and there are no barriers, which is the most important thing.’

Masai Ujiri, the charity’s president and an ex-NBA star, wished Meghan a happy Mother’s Day and acknowledged how hard it can be ‘for us to be away from our kids and family to make things like this happen’.

‘To do so shows dedication (and) we truly appreciate it,’ he told the couple.

Meghan and Harry later attended a fundraiser for Nigeria’s soldiers wounded in the country’s fight against Islamic extremists and other armed groups in the country’s conflict-hit north.

The event was related to Harry’s Invictus Games, which Nigeria is seeking to host in the future.

Harry founded the Invictus Games to aid the rehabilitation of wounded and sick service members and veterans, among them Nigerian soldiers fighting a 14-year war against Islamic extremists.

On Saturday, Meghan said it had been ‘humbling’ to find out through a genealogy test that she is partly Nigerian as she met a group of women in Abuja.

Acknowledging Nigeria as ‘my country’, she added: ‘It’s been eye-opening to be able to know more about my heritage.’

Meghan spoke at an event on women in leadership co-hosted by Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, a Nigerian economist and head of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

She added: ‘Never in a million years would I understand it as much as I do now. And what has been echoed so much in the past day is, ‘Oh, we are not so surprised when we found out you are Nigerian’.

‘It is a compliment to you because what they define as a Nigerian woman is brave, resilient, courageous, beautiful.’

Her first reaction after finding out was to tell her mother Doria Ragland, she said.

‘Being African American, part of it is really not knowing so much about your lineage and background … and it was exciting for both of us,’ she said.

Mo Abudu, the anchor and chief executive of EbonyLife media group, then asked the audience to suggest a Nigerian name for Meghan.

‘Ifeoma,’ someone shouted from the crowd, a name from Nigeria’s Igbo tribe which means ‘a treasured thing’.

‘Omowale’ another suggested, from the Yoruba tribe, which means ‘the child has come home’.

Meghan joined female industry leaders such as Ms Okonjo-Iweala to discuss the importance of mentorship for young women and the career challenges women face in a country like Nigeria, where it is not common for women to be in top leadership and political positions.

Asked by the anchor about how she feels about becoming the first woman and first African to lead the WTO, Ms Okonjo-Iweala said it was long overdue.

‘When I will feel right is when we stop saying, ‘the first woman to do this … to do that’,’ she said. ‘I have very mixed feelings about being the first woman because I think women should have been there already.’

She also spoke about mentors who have helped her career, including as Nigeria’s former finance minister.

One way to mentor young girls is by ‘returning home’ to be closer to them, Meghan said, citing the case of Ms Okonjo-Iweala as an example.

‘You need to come back home, you need to, at least, be a familiar face for the next generation to say, ‘Oh she looks like me and I can be that’,’ she added.

Earlier in the day, Meghan watched as Harry and his Invictus Games team lost to the Nigerian military’s team in a sitting volleyball game.

It featured soldiers recovering from injuries sustained in the country’s fight against Islamic extremists and other armed gangs in the country’s conflict-battered north.

After the match held at the Nigerian Armed Forces’ Mess in Abuja, Harry and Meghan were surrounded by players, their families and a group of women who gave Meghan a Nigerian fabric.

‘We are friends and family supporters of Harry and Meghan,’ said Peace Adetoro, 57, a member of the group. 

‘They are a beautiful couple and we love them so much. We support them 100 per cent.’

On Friday, Harry and Meghan visited the Wusa Lightway Academy college in Abuja which receives support from their Archewell Foundation to educate and train young girls affected by conflicts in Nigeria.

They also met military leaders at Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters in Abuja.

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Source: The Wall Street Journal