Meghan Markle and Prince Harry kick off tour in Nigeria after reuniting in UK

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have thrown themselves into their first day in Nigeria, after secretly reuniting in the UK.

Prince Harry has been reunited with Meghan Markle in Nigeria following his brief two-day return to London.

The couple is currently on a tour – closely resembling the style they previously embarked upon as working royals – where they are undertaking “cultural activities” after being invited by the West African country’s chief of defence staff.

Their first stop after arriving was at the Wuse Lightway Academy in Abuja, where they spoke to the pupils about mental health.

The Sussexes visited the Lightway Academy in Abuja, Nigeria. Picture: Kola Sulaimon/AFP

“If I say mental health do you know what it means?” Harry asked the children during his presentation, per People.

“In some cases around the world, in more than you would believe, there is a stigma when it comes to mental health. Too many people don’t want to talk about it because it’s invisible. It’s something in our mind that we can’t see. It’s not like a broken leg, it’s not like a broken wrist.

“It’s something that we are still relatively unsure of. But guess what? Every single person in this room, the youngest, the oldest, every single person has mental health.

“So therefore, you have to look after yourself to be able to look after other people. And other people have to be able to look after themselves, to look after you. That’s the way it works. And there is no shame to be able to acknowledge that today is a bad day, okay?”

Meghan posed for selfies with the schoolkids. Picture: Sodiq Adelakun/AFP

The couple beamed as they took part in cultural activities. Picture: Andrew Esiebo/Getty Images for The Archewell Foundation

Meghan then gushed over her husband as she took her turn presenting.

“Do you see why I married him? He’s so smart. And so inspiring because he speaks the truth,” she told the class.

“Every single one of you has a story. We all have our story. And there’s no shame in any single one of your stories. Even on the hardest days or darkest days, everything is a pillar of your strength by each of you being there.

“Your teachers see that in you. And we see that in you.”

The duchess then made a sweet reference to her rarely-seen two-year-old daughter.

“Interestingly, so does our daughter, Lili; she’s much tinier than you guys, about to turn three. “A few weeks ago, she looked at me and saw her reflection in my eyes. She said, ‘Mama, I see me in you.’

“Now, she was talking literally, but I held onto those words in a different way. I thought, yes, I do see me in you, and you see me in you. But as I look around this room, I see myself in all of you as well.”

Meghan looked stunning for the outing, wearing a peach maxi dress by Heidi Merrick, worth around $850, along with Emma Parsons sandals.

They spoke candidly about mental health with the crowd. Picture: Andrew Esiebo/Getty Images for The Archewell Foundation

According to The Sun, Meghan secretly flew from Los Angeles to the UK’s Heathrow Airport early Thursday evening, where she reunited with her husband in the ultra-exclusive VIP Windsor Suite. They then reportedly flew onward in first class on a British Airways flight to Abuja, to kick off what will be their first visit to Nigeria together.

Meghan uncovered her own Nigerian heritage in recent years. Picture: Kola Sulaimon/AFP

The three-day tour has special significance for Meghan, who discovered her own Nigerian heritage in recent years, which she opened up about on her Archetypes podcast in 2022.

The Nigerian visit, announced late last month, will also see the couple in talks with officials about hosting the Invictus Games in 2029.

Meghan was notably absent from Harry’s side as he completed his whirlwind visit to the UK this week to mark the decade anniversary of the Invictus Games.

Prince Harry outside St Paul's Cathedral in London on Wednesday. Picture: Chris Jackson/Getty Images for Invictus Games Foundation

During an emotional Service of Thanksgiving in honour of the competition at St Paul’s Cathedral on Wednesday, Harry appeared to wipe away tears during a testimony by the 2018 Team UK captain, Michelle Turner, as he described the profound impact it had had on her life.

As a choked-up Ms Turner wrapped up by thanking “Invictus for giving me my life back”, Harry stood up to lead the congregation in a standing ovation, before appearing to wipe away his own tears.

He later delivered a reading of a passage from Corinthians.

The duke is patron of the Games, which began in 2014 as a sporting competition for wounded, injured or sick ex-servicemen and women.

It followed his own decade of service in the military, which included two tours of Afghanistan.

Unsurprisingly, given the rift currently dividing Harry and the royal family, none were in attendance at the high-profile event.

Originally published as Meghan Markle and Prince Harry kick off tour in Nigeria after reuniting in UK