MEGHAN Markle has called Nigeria “my country” after arriving an hour late to a talk.
Meghan left Harry behind to co-host an event of Women in Leadership, as pals revealed her husband was “deeply stung” not to see the King while in the UK.
The Sussexes are on the third of a three day “faux Royal” tour of the African nation – having visited a warzone and played volleyball.
But speaking at the World Trade Organisation evenr in the capital Abuja on Saturday, Meghan said Nigeria was “my country”.
After arriving an hour late, she said: “I want to start by saying thank you very much for just how gracious you’ve all been in welcoming my husband and I to this country… my country.
“I am just flattered and honored and inspired. It has been a whirlwind 24 hours since we arrived.
“And I very quickly got the memo that I need to wear more colour, so I can fit in with all of you and your incredible fashion.”
Meghan has spoken about her love of “beige” in past interviews, telling a 2022 Netflix documentary: “When I was in the UK I rarely wore colour.
“I wore a lot of muted tones… I also wore it so I could just blend in.”
Her quip comes after she discovered she was 43 percent Nigerian, according to a genealogy test.
After finding out her ancestry, she said she rang her mum “because I wanted to know if she had any awareness of it”.
She said the discovery was “exciting for both of us” because being African-American “is really not knowing so much about your lineage or background, where you come from specifically”.
The 42-year-old explained: “It’s been really eye-opening and humbling to be able to know more about my heritage and to be able to know this is just the beginning of that discovery.”
The comments come as pals revealed Harry made a request to King Charles to stay at a Royal residence while in the UK this week.
The King is understood to have agreed to put Harry during his three-day visit to London to promote the Invictus Games.
But for unknown reasons, the Duke of Sussex ended up staying in a hotel, and the missed opportunity to see his dad “deeply stung”.
A friend told The Sunday Times: “It surprises me a lot. I was fully expecting them to meet.
She told the WTO event on Saturday she “loved being a mum” after being asked how she juggled her career with parenthood.
During the discussion, Meghan said “balance” in her life has changed over the years.
She added how life looks different to ten years ago before she was married and had her two kids.
She said: “What I think that to mean now is that that balance will always change for you.
“That balance, what seems balanced ten years ago is going to shift.”
“I know that’s what he wanted to happen and I don’t know when he’s next back.”
Staying in a royal residence would have made seeing the King logistically easier for Harry – who were less than 3 miles away from each other on Wednesday.
The Sussexes touched down in the capital Abuja on Friday morning to promote the 2025 Invictus Games in Vancouver, Canada.
The event – which sees injured servicemen and women compete in a range of athletics events – was founded by Prince Harry and is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.
The Sussexes began their “faux-Royal tour” with a visit to Lightway Academy, a primary and secondary school in the capital.
On Saturday, Harry showed off his competitive side at an Invictus Games sitting volleyball event – just days after Prince William also tried his hand at the sport.
It came as the pair visited Nigeria’s defence HQ on Friday to meet military wives and senior officials.
Harry was gifted a portrait of his mother Princess Diana by the Nigerian government, as well as a painted picture from his 2018 wedding to Meghan.
He later visited a military hospital in war torn Kaduna, around 200km north of Abuja.
The region has seen horrific fighting between nomadic Fulani herdsman and farmers, as well as an insurgency by Boko Haram Islamists.
While at the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, the Duke shook hands with around 50 wounded soldiers and asked one bed-ridden hero if he’d named his prosthetic leg.
While holding the hand of another man, Harry asked: “Are they helping you? Are you feeling better?”
The 39-year-old was given a “big gown” and hula cap as a going home present from Kaduna governor Uba Sani.
The Duke and Duchess were welcomed to Lagos, Nigeria early on Sunday as they began their third day of their visit.
Harry and Meghan, in a Caroline Herrera button down and a Nigerian skirt gifted to her, arrived to a typically noisy and acrobatic dance performance.
One move even saw a young boy being thrown between two dancers. The couple gasped and clapped as the dancers were hoisted up and created human towers.
After arriving at Lagos airport from Abuja they headed to a city school to take part in an event with non-profit Giants of Africa.
