Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex bore a striking resemblance to his late mother Princess Diana during his recent ‘meaningful’ trip to Nigeria with wife Meghan Markle, as he issued a powerful message to wounded veterans
As Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s long awaited trip to Nigeria comes to a close, the couple were sure to make every moment count as they got to grips with the African nation’s rich heritage and warm hospitality. Yet while there was a degree of ceremony to their visit, the Duke of Sussex was more concerned with meeting people on the ground and championing causes that he and Meghan are passionate about.
“These trips are about us being able to go out and go and focus on the things that mean so much to us. And being able to be on the ground, to us, is what it’s all about,” the Prince told PEOPLE.
Meghan then added: “It’s really meaningful. Just being able to connect to people…that’s what makes it special.”
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Connection in particular also resonated strongly with Harry, as he made a special effort to visit a military hospital in Kaduna, where wounded and injured service personnel were slowly coming to terms with injuries obtained while serving their country. Evoking scenes that echoed his own mother Princess Diana’s compassionate interaction with patients in Africa, Harry took the time to speak and interact with military veterans recuperating at the hospital while also urging them to “Be Strong.”
The royal also drew on his own military experience and passion for sports, as he shook hands and encouraged the veterans to consider pursuing sports as a means of healing. He told the publication: “That experience of knowing what life, post-injury, is like gives people so much hope. And hope, hope, hope is a huge part of this.”
In addition to the military hospital visit, Harry and Meghan also visited a charity called Nigeria Unconquered, which is affiliated with the Duke’s own project Invictus and helps to empower and challenge injured service personnel with the help of adaptive sports.
The heartwarming interactions come just days after Prince Harry jetted to the UK alone to mark the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games. During his brief visit, the 39 year old royal travelled back to the UK to commemorate the milestone with members of the Invictus Games family and mark the decade-long support competitors in the paralympic-style tournament have received.
It had been hoped during his visit that Harry would be able to reconnect with his father King Charles amid his ongoing cancer battle, but unfortunately conflicting schedules meant that this was impossible as the King was committed to a prior engagement, seen by some as the King snubbing his estranged son amid ongoing tensions.
