The Duchess of Sussex revealed one of her husband the Duke of Sussex's favourite sporty hobbies on day two of their trip to Nigeria – and it's so Californian!
As Harry and Meghan attended an event linked to the Invictus Games – a training session for organisation Nigeria: Unconquered at the Defence Headquarters Officers' Mess in Asokoro, Abuja – the couple were invited to watch a sitting volleyball game.
The charity uses sport to encourage recovery and rehabilitation in wounded, sick, and injured service personnel to "help them find new purpose".
© GettyHarry's love of volleyball
On Saturday morning, Harry and Meghan kicked off their engagement by watching the game, decked in scarves they had been given in the green and white colours of Nigeria.
© GettyAfter about 15 minutes, the sporty Duke was invited to take part. As spectators shouted "Team Harry" and Meghan clapped animatedly for her husband, she also got chatting to one little girl, nine-year-old Tiwa Akanbi.
© GettyTiwa later said of her meeting with the Duchess: "She said Prince Harry loves to play volleyball and that he's very good at it. And she asked me if I play volleyball in my school. And I said yes."
Her mother Desola, 47, added: "She's always wanted to meet her. She said last night, 'When am I going to meet 'Auntie Meghan?'"
Warm welcome from Nigeria: Unconquered
At the end of the match, the royals took part in an impromptu group photo session with the teams, with Harry wearing his Invictus Games polo top and Meghan stunning in a Johanna Ortiz dress.
© Getty"We are friends and family supporters of Harry and Meghan," Peace Adetoro, 57, said. "They are a beautiful couple and we love them so much. We support them 100 per cent."
© GettyBefore leaving, Royalty Ojeh, six, the daughter of the executive director of Nigeria: Unconquered, presented Meghan with a bouquet of roses. The mother-of-two removed one of the roses from the posy and handed it back to Royalty, who said of the Duchess: "She was nice."
© GettyNigeria's connection with the Invictus Games
Nigeria participated in the Invictus Games for the first time in September 2023, attending the tournament in Dusseldorf, Germany. It was there that Harry and Meghan met the country's chief of defence staff, General Christopher Muse, who invited them to visit Nigeria.
At the Invictus Games last year, Harry and Meghan met athletes from the Nigerian team and fans. The Duchess was also given a Nigerian name, Amira Ngozi Lolo. Amira is a warrior princess from a legend, Ngozi means 'blessed' and Lolo is 'royal wife'.
In 2022, Meghan revealed on her former podcast, Archetypes, that she has Nigerian heritage. She told celebrity interviewer Ziwe: "I just had my genealogy done a couple years ago… [and I'm] Forty-three percent Nigerian."
Meghan's solo engagement
Later on Saturday, the Duchess will co-host an event of Women in Leadership with Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director General of the World Trade Organization.
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