Meghan Markle to Skip UK Visit, Plans Big Reveal Post-Invictus Games
Meghan Markle, despite not joining her husband Prince Harry for his upcoming trip to the UK in May, is planning a significant reveal shortly after the Invictus Games event hosted by Harry. The Duchess of Sussex, alongside the Duke, will then embark on a journey to Nigeria following an invitation from the country’s chief of defense staff.
This trip is designed to engage them in a series of cultural activities, marking an important moment for the couple as they continue to define their roles outside the traditional confines of the British Royal Family. Harry is set to visit London briefly where he will participate in a commemorative event at St Paul’s Cathedral on May 8. This event will celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Invictus Games, an initiative Harry has passionately supported since its inception, per People magazine.
“I’m going to start to dig deeper into all this because anybody that I’ve told, especially Nigerian women, are like ‘What!,'” she said on her Archetypes podcast. “Now, I’m not saying we play favorites in our home, but since my wife discovered she’s of Nigerian descent, it’s likely to get a little bit more competitive this year,” Prince Harry said in his 2023 opening speech, teasing about which team the Duchess would be rooting for.
His commitment to the Games highlights his ongoing dedication to service members worldwide, a cause close to his heart. Following his engagements in the UK, Harry will make a quick transition to join Meghan in Nigeria. This trip holds particular personal significance for Meghan, who revealed in 2022 that she is 43 percent Nigerian, a discovery made through a genealogy test.
Despite her active schedule and numerous obligations, Meghan has yet to explore this part of her heritage personally, making the upcoming visit to Nigeria especially meaningful. Meghan’s decision not to visit the UK since September 2022, following Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, has been a topic of conversation among royal watchers and the media.
Harry’s brief return to the UK in February 2024 was notably poignant, as it occurred following an announcement from Buckingham Palace that King Charles had been diagnosed with a form of cancer. During that trip, Harry spent 45 minutes at Clarence House where he met solely with his ailing father, without visiting other members of the royal family.
The upcoming trip to the UK will be Harry’s first since the recent news of Princess Kate’s cancer diagnosis and her subsequent public announcement about her treatment. This visit is anticipated not just for the Invictus Games’ anniversary but also as a potential opportunity for a reunion with his brother Prince William and his family. Such a meeting could offer a chance for reconciliation and support during these challenging times for the family.