10 May 2024 , 13:29
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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have arrived in Nigeria for a three-day visit.
This is their first trip to the country as a couple, and it comes after Prince Harry concluded a brief visit to London, where he told the BBC it had been "great" to be back in the UK.
Prince Harry and Meghan were invited by Nigeria’s chief of defence staff, General Christopher Musa, and will meet injured service personnel.
Their visit is part of a series of events linked to the Invictus Games, the sporting event for injured service men and women founded by Prince Harry which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.
The couple landed in Abuja on Friday morning, and began their visit with a tour of Lightway Academy, a primary and secondary school in the capital city.
They were greeted by traditional dancers and met some of the primary schoolchildren.
One group of year five pupils told the BBC they were really excited about the visit, saying they hope it will raise their school’s profile.
During their tour the couple visited a kindergarten class where children aged up to five danced and sang - at one point, the visitors got to their feet and joined the class in singing Jump Up, Turn Around.
The couple mentioned their own family: Archie, who turned five earlier this month, and two-year-old Lilibet.
Meghan said that dancing was Lilibet’s favourite class, adding: "Maybe it’s all the jumping around."
During a visit to a STEM class, when pupils showed the robot cars they had created, the duchess said that Archie also liked construction.
When told by the class that they would be showing the robot cars in class one day, Meghan said: "We will have to come back for the exhibition."
The couple then went on to launch a two-day mental health summit, after which the prince will head to a military rehabilitation centre in Kaduna.
The Duke and Duchess will also visit Lagos.
The couple are set to attend a training session for Nigeria: Unconquered - a charity which collaborates with the Invictus Games - as well as a cultural reception and a polo fundraiser for the charity.
Meghan is also due to co-host an event of Women in Leadership with Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, director-general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO)
Harry was the surprise guest at a party in London hosted by a charity supporting the bereaved children of military personnel
The couple’s visit comes after the duke celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games at St Paul’s Cathedral in London on Wednesday.
He smiled and waved at a crowd gathered in the sunshine outside St Paul’s to greet him.
The service was attended by his uncle Earl Spencer - Princess Diana’s brother.
Meanwhile, the King, whose cancer treatment is ongoing, met members of the public at a Buckingham Palace garden party a little over two miles away.
The two did not see each other, with the duke’s spokesman saying the King’s "full programme" prevented any meeting.