Meghan Markle Has Glam Moment in Strapless Dress at Reception with Prince Harry in Nigeria

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry matched their looks for a special reception on the second day in Nigeria.

Following their first stop in Nigeria: Unconquered, a national charity working alongside Prince Harry’s Invictus Games, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex attended a military families and widows’ association reception at Defense Headquarters on Saturday 11 May. Abuja. The release also came with a special update: the reveal of a rehab center.

For the event, the pair matched in linen ensembles. Meghan went glam in St. Agni wore a strapless white linen dress, while Harry wore a cream linen suit.

They were hosted by the Chief of Defense Staff, General Christopher Musa, and the couple had the opportunity to speak with the families of servicemen and women.

Not long after sitting down, the couple stood up along with everyone else to listen to the national anthems. The ceremony began with “God Save The King”, during which the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stood still. Harry stood with his eyes straight ahead and his arms by his side as the national anthem played. The British national anthem was followed by the Nigerian national anthem.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at a reception in Abuja, Nigeria on May 11, 2024.

Emmanuel Osodi/Anadolu via Getty

Then they were treated to a dance performance by a group of energetic dancers and drummers and heard the testimonies of wounded warriors. Private Peacemaker Azuegbulam, despite wearing a prosthetic leg after being shot, has shared his plans to compete in alpine skiing and skeleton skating at the Invictus Games in Vancouver. The 27-year-old thanked Prince Harry for seeing the games through, later telling PEOPLE: “It gave me a reason to live. There is ability in my disability.”

Meghan and Harry were also given a computer-generated tour of the planned new Invictus Center which will be a refuge for the physical and mental rehabilitation of wounded military personnel.

During a series of speeches, Abike Dabiri Erewa, the chairperson of the Nigerian Diaspora Commission, drew wide smiles and applause from Meghan, as well as applause from the entire room when she exclaimed, “Princess Meghan is Nigerian!”

Meghan Markle at a reception in Abuja, Nigeria on May 11, 2024.

KOLA SULAIMON/AFP via Getty

She said she wasn’t surprised when Meghan said she was of Nigerian descent on her podcast. “I was excited, but not surprised. Because she is beautiful, intelligent, diligent and hardworking and stands firm in the face of challenges,” she said, adding, “Prince Harry, you married the best – our daughter, our friend, Princess Meghan. I hope you come back again, and again, and again.”

She didn’t leave Harry out either, saying: “Princess Meghan, you married the best man.”

Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex at a reception in Abuja, Nigeria on May 11, 2024.

KOLA SULAIMON/AFP via Getty

After presenting them with gifts of his and her traditional Aso-Oke clothing, she told PEOPLE, “They are an amazing couple. They are humble, down to earth and look so good together. Love is here; you feel it.”

As a former captain in the British Armed Forces and founder of the Invictus Games, an international adaptive sports tournament for wounded, injured and ill servicemen, Harry has long had a passion for advocating for veterans and their families.

In the speech, Harry shared his “sincere gratitude” to the Chief of Defense Staff and the Defense Secretary. “Your reception and energy has been nothing short of extraordinary,” he said.

He also acknowledged the “tragic loss of brave souls” who lost their lives in the recent conflicts in the country.

“It reminds us of the truth of service and the deep impact of conflicts between children, families and nations. My deepest condolences to all the families,” he said.

Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex at a reception in Abuja, Nigeria on May 11, 2024.

KOLA SULAIMON/AFP via Getty

He also shared a touching moment from his visit to wounded soldiers on Friday.

“I’ll tell you a story from yesterday when I visited Kanuda Hospital,” said Harry, referring to meeting 50 wounded and injured people on May 10. “I’m sure they won’t blame me for what I said, but morale was low. I could see it on their faces, I could see it in their eyes. Their injuries defined their lives. There were two out of 50 that were…a little different. They had smiles on their faces. One of them was doing push-ups on the bed.

“What this has proven to me, what this has reminded me of, is the power of seeing what is possible after an injury. They would not be defined by past injuries. That’s what it’s all about.”

He continued, “And that’s what the new center you’re building is all about. When I see the plans for the new Invictus center, I cringe. As we look forward, let’s remember that with a united effort, we could make significant progress in recognizing the sacrifices made by so many of our military personnel and, importantly, their families. Offering support for their rehabilitation and recovery.”

As they left the stage, the couple were asked to dance by a group of enthusiastic women. Harry hesitated, but Meghan joined him.

All the best photos from Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s trip to Nigeria!

Meghan Markle at a reception at the Nigerian Defense Headquarters in Abuja on May 11, 2024.

KOLA SULAIMON/AFP via Getty

Speaking to PEOPLE about Prince Harry’s vision for Invictus and what fuels his fire, his friend, fellow veteran and Invictus Games alumnus David Wiseman said: “A soldier’s identity doesn’t disappear or change because you’re a prince or a duke. He feels part of this community, and we feel he is part of our community and that drives him, the desire to serve this community.”

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are in Nigeria this weekend at the invitation of the Chief of Defense Staff, Staff General Christopher Gwabin Musa, the country’s most senior military official, and the itinerary highlights the Invictus mission.

Prince Harry’s empathy shone through on the first day of the tour at Nigeria’s Military Referral Hospital, Kaduna, where he took a young man by the hand in a move that channeled his late mother, Princess Diana.

“Are they helping you? Are you feeling better?” Prince Harry asked at the bedside of soldier Habu Sadiq in a video shot by PEOPLE’s chief foreign correspondent Simon Perry, who exclusively covers the Duke and Duchess’ trips to Nigeria.

“Get well, be strong,” Harry told the soldier who was suffering from vision impairment from the blast.

The trip to hospital was the Duke’s last outing on May 10, which also included visits to Lightway Academy (which was in coordination with the GEANCO Foundation’s inaugural mental health summit) and the Chief of Defense Staff with Meghan, 42. Harry then continued on his own to would meet the governor (who surprised him with pictures of him with Princess Diana and his wife Meghan!) and headed to the hospital.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex began their second day abroad training for Nigeria: Unconquered, a national charity working in partnership with the Invictus Games Foundation. Prince Harry and Meghan’s visit to Nigeria: Unconquered was dedicated to sports recovery, where they saw a training session/basketball game with athletes.

Nigeria participated in the Invictus Games for the first time in September 2023 at the last cycle of the competition in Düsseldorf, Germany, where Prince Harry, 39, and Meghan, 42, mingled with team athletes and fans in the stands. Meghan previously opened up about her Archetypes podcast in 2022 that she found out she had Nigerian ancestry through a genealogy test, and Harry joked in his opening remarks at the 2023 Invictus Games that his wife supports the Nigerian team.

Can’t get enough of PEOPLE’s Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to receive the latest news on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

Prince Harry and Meghan’s trip to Nigeria is significant for their first international tour since stepping down from royal roles in 2020.

Later on May 11, the Duchess of Sussex will co-host an event called Women in Leadership with Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education