Get ready, Nigeria – Meghan and Harry are headed your way! The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have graciously accepted an invitation to visit Nigeria in May, representing the highest-ranking military official, the Chief of Defense Staff.
On May 8th, Prince Harry will kick off the journey by attending the 10th-anniversary celebration of the Invictus Games at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. Shortly after, Meghan will join him in Nigeria for a series of engagements aimed at fostering cultural exchange and celebrating the spirit of resilience among service members.
The couple’s itinerary includes visits to military rehabilitation centers, sports facilities, and meetings with local organizations working to support veterans’ welfare. Additionally they will attend cultural events and engage in discussions with community leaders on topics.
This trip holds special significance as it underscores Prince Harry’s dedication to the Invictus Games, an international sporting event for wounded, injured, and sick servicemen and women.
Last year’s Invictus Games in Germany saw the participation of 500 athletes from 21 nations, including Nigeria, Colombia, and Israel, marking their debut in the event. Nigeria’s Minister of Defense, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar Badaru, has expressed eagerness to host the games in the future, further solidifying the country’s commitment to promoting inclusivity and sportsmanship.
During their time at the Invictus Games in Germany, Meghan and Harry shared memorable moments with Team Nigeria, showcasing their support and camaraderie. In a lighthearted exchange, Prince Harry joked about the friendly competition between him and Meghan, especially since she discovered her Nigerian heritage.
Meghan’s connection to Nigeria runs deep, as she revealed on her podcast Archetypes that she has Nigerian ancestry, with her genealogy test showing she is 43% Nigerian. This revelation further strengthens the bond between the Duchess and the Nigerian people, fostering a sense of shared identity and belonging.
From Archetypes podcast, Episode 7 – In a conversation with Nigerian-American comedian Ziwe Fumudoh, Meghan highlights her Nigerian genetic ancestry —
Meghan said, “I just had my genealogy done a couple years ago.”
Fumudoh: “What? What are you?”
Meghan: “43% Nigerian.”
Fumudoh: “No way! Na wa o! Oh my gosh! Are you really serious?”
Meghan: “Yea!”
Fumudoh: “This is huge. Igbo, Yoruba… do we know?”
Meghan: “So, I mean, I’m going to start to dig deeper into all this because anyone that I’ve told, especially Nigerian women, are just like – *gasps* – what?!”
Fumudoh: “This is huge for our community. No honestly, you do look like a Nigerian-, you look like my aunt Uzo, so this is great.”
As a token of appreciation, Team Nigeria bestowed upon Meghan the name “Amira Ngozi Lolo,” a name imbued with royal significance. “Amira” symbolizes a warrior princess from legend, while “Ngozi” conveys blessings and “Lolo” signifies royal wife, reflecting Meghan’s esteemed position within the royal family.
As Meghan and Harry embark on this meaningful journey to Nigeria, they carry with them the spirit of unity, resilience, and hope, inspiring individuals around the world to embrace their heritage and celebrate diversity. Stay tuned for updates as the royal couple’s Nigerian adventure unfolds, bringing joy and goodwill to all!
American Riveria Orchard Update
In the past few weeks Meghan has been sending out strawberry jam from her new American Riviera Orchards brand. The jars were numbered and 50 in total were sent out to a number of friends and celebrities including – Abigail Spencer, Mindy Kaling, Nacho Feugara and his wife Delfina Blaquier, Tracee Ellis Ross, Tracey Robbins, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Garcelle Beauvais, Kris Jenner, Chrissy Teigen and John Legend, long time friend Heather Dorak and Kelly McKee Zajfen.
Friend and fashion designer, Tracey Robbins, was the first to post about receiving a basket.
Friend and actress, Abigail Spencer said “This jam is my jam, A delicious taste of what’s to come indeed… love you so M🍓🌱🍋🫶🏽.”
Mindy Kaling (another jam recipient, see below), commented, “This is like an ad for sunshine and happiness.”
Chrissy Teagan said it’s the best jam she’s had all year.
Here are some other’s — (clockwise left to right) Tracee Ellis Ross, Heather Dorak, Kelly McKee Zajfen, Delfina Blaquier, Nacho Figueras, Kris Jenner and Garcelle Beauvais.
Apparently there were 50 jars of jam sent out and a number of recipients have not yet been revealed. The brand is expected to launch later this Spring. Our best guess is sometime this month, possibly to mark their wedding anniversary.
Happy Mother’s Day – May 12th in the US!
In honor of Mother’s Day next month – Kelly McKee Zajfen / Alliance of Moms – shared these photos on her IG account with Meghan and Abigail Spencer in promotion of their latest campaign #LoveLikeAMother.
The caption read —
When we speak about the people in our lives who lift us up when you need it with undeniable force of pure love I think of these two. You inspire me. You pick me up when I need it and you Love Like A Mother! ❤️🩹
Thank you for continuing to support the @allianceofmoms For supporting this campaign and our youth. In doing so, you are supporting the mission to build bright futures for young parents who have experienced foster care.
In honor of Mother’s Day, I hope YOU support this campaign, and #LOVELIKEAMOTHER
If you’d like to show your support for the campaign #LoveLikeAMother visit the site here to donate or purchase a t shirt ($38). For sizing reference, I am petite and ordered a small – it fits perfect, not too tight.
Proceeds from the t shirt (or your donation) support essential services, education, and advocacy so that young parents in foster care and their children can heal and thrive.
Happy Birthday Prince Archie!
Monday, May 6th, marks Archie’s 5th birthday! We don’t expect to see any new photos released of the prince however, perhaps we will see something to mark this special day. Below we share a number of photos from over the last five years.
A Few More Pieces of News!
The Invictus Games bids are in for 2027! The two host cities in the running are Birmingham, UK and Washington, DC. The winner will be announced in July!
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On Thursday Meghan attended an invite only event at the Rosewood Miramar Beach Hotel in Montecito. As the event was private we will not be sharing photos (there is only one of Meghan taken from behind and you can’t really see what she’s wearing). If photos become available publicly we will of course share them here.
The event was hosted by Greycroft, a seed-to-growth venture capital firm that partners with entrepreneurs who are striving to build category-defining companies across intelligent consumer and enterprise applications, Al infrastructure, sustainability, and consumer products.
We will see you all back here the end of next week for the couple’s Nigeria visit!
LINKS:
L says
So happy that Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan are going to beautiful Nigeria. I can’t wait to see pictures of Amira Ngozi Lolo (Meghan) and Maholo (Harry) in Nigeria!
Nathalie says
So happy to see Meghan again!