NEW DELHI: Meghan Markle will not accompany Prince Harry to the United Kingdom for the upcoming tenth anniversary celebration of the Invictus Games, a spokesman for the couple confirmed. The Duchess of Sussex will instead join Harry in Nigeria for an official visit immediately after his UK commitments. This sequence of events highlights the Duchess’s ongoing commitment to their international engagements while underscoring her reduced presence in the UK following their move to California.
Since stepping back from royal duties and relocating to the United States, Meghan has rarely visited the UK, with sources previously citing her desire to avoid the associated “drama.” Her decision to skip the significant event in London but confirm her presence in Nigeria reflects her and Harry’s shifted focus towards global humanitarian and cultural efforts, a Daily Mail report said.
Prince Harry’s brief UK visit
Prince Harry’s upcoming visit to the UK will be his first since losing a High Court appeal concerning his security arrangements. He is expected to stay in a hotel during his brief visit, which will include giving a reading at St. Paul’s Cathedral on May 8 to mark the Invictus Games’ anniversary. Notably, no senior members of the Royal Family are slated to join him for this event.
Following his UK visit, Prince Harry will meet Meghan in Nigeria for an “Invictus-inspired” trip, as per the couple’s spokesman. They are invited by Nigeria’s chief of defense staff, whom Harry met last September at the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf. The visit will include meeting service members and their families and engaging in traditional cultural activities.
The trip to Nigeria holds personal significance for Meghan, who revealed in 2022 that she is 43 percent Nigerian. During a podcast, she expressed a desire to explore this part of her heritage further, which resonates particularly well with Nigerian women she has encountered.
The choice to visit Nigeria, potentially aligning with the country’s hopes to host a future Invictus Games, appears strategic. Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams noted that while the trip acts as a “face saver” given Meghan’s absence from the UK event, it also demonstrates savvy public relations maneuvering by the Sussexes.
During Prince Harry’s visit, King Charles III is expected to be engaged with other commitments, including his weekly meeting with the Prime Minister and attending the first Buckingham Palace garden party of the summer. The King’s packed schedule coincides with his ongoing recovery from a recent cancer diagnosis, highlighting a period of intense public and private engagements for the British monarch.
As Harry and Meghan continue to redefine their public roles from their base in the United States, their international visits are closely watched for indications of their future engagements and commitments to causes they support, both within and beyond the Invictus community.
Since stepping back from royal duties and relocating to the United States, Meghan has rarely visited the UK, with sources previously citing her desire to avoid the associated “drama.” Her decision to skip the significant event in London but confirm her presence in Nigeria reflects her and Harry’s shifted focus towards global humanitarian and cultural efforts, a Daily Mail report said.
Prince Harry’s brief UK visit
Prince Harry’s upcoming visit to the UK will be his first since losing a High Court appeal concerning his security arrangements. He is expected to stay in a hotel during his brief visit, which will include giving a reading at St. Paul’s Cathedral on May 8 to mark the Invictus Games’ anniversary. Notably, no senior members of the Royal Family are slated to join him for this event.
Following his UK visit, Prince Harry will meet Meghan in Nigeria for an “Invictus-inspired” trip, as per the couple’s spokesman. They are invited by Nigeria’s chief of defense staff, whom Harry met last September at the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf. The visit will include meeting service members and their families and engaging in traditional cultural activities.
The trip to Nigeria holds personal significance for Meghan, who revealed in 2022 that she is 43 percent Nigerian. During a podcast, she expressed a desire to explore this part of her heritage further, which resonates particularly well with Nigerian women she has encountered.
The choice to visit Nigeria, potentially aligning with the country’s hopes to host a future Invictus Games, appears strategic. Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams noted that while the trip acts as a “face saver” given Meghan’s absence from the UK event, it also demonstrates savvy public relations maneuvering by the Sussexes.
During Prince Harry’s visit, King Charles III is expected to be engaged with other commitments, including his weekly meeting with the Prime Minister and attending the first Buckingham Palace garden party of the summer. The King’s packed schedule coincides with his ongoing recovery from a recent cancer diagnosis, highlighting a period of intense public and private engagements for the British monarch.
As Harry and Meghan continue to redefine their public roles from their base in the United States, their international visits are closely watched for indications of their future engagements and commitments to causes they support, both within and beyond the Invictus community.