Prince Harry and his spouse, Meghan Markle, made the surprising announcement this week that they are heading to Africa.
The powerful pair have revealed that they accepted a gracious invitation from the Nigerian government to visit the country to highlight some causes that are dear and near to their hearts.
In a statement issued to PEOPLE Magazine, Markle and Prince Harry detailed their plans to meet with service members, including wounded veterans and active-duty military personnel, who will participate in the upcoming Invictus Games and several cultural events.
The publication revealed: “Harry is set to travel to the U.K. next week to attend numerous Invictus Games Foundation-related events in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the games, including a service at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London on May 8. Soon after, he will be joined by Meghan in Nigeria.”
The media outlet went on to explain the importance of the trip for the sporting events: “Their visit will shine a spotlight not only on the Invictus Games, a global sporting event that unites nations but also on Nigeria’s growing interest in the event. Last year, the Games held in Germany saw the participation of 21 nations, including Nigeria, Colombia, and Israel as new entrants.”
In a statement issued by the Minister of Defense, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar Badaru, he revealed that Nigeria is pushing to host the Invictus Games shortly.
The Acting Director of Defence Information in Nigeria said: “The visit is to consolidate Nigeria’s strong hold at the game and the possibility of hosting the event in later years.”
The media will try to follow Prince Harry and Markle’s every move during their visit to the African nation, but that might not be possible.
Despite being public figures who must be seen to push their brand and products, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have recently emphasized their status as private citizens and have taken action to make that point.
In what seems like life-imitating art — remember that South Park privacy tour episode — Prince Harry and Markle do not allow cameras to film some of their activities.
Their decision appears baffling as they are currently involved in the production of two major series for Netflix and have taken part in docuseries in the past where they opened up about their personal lives while revealing the Royal Family’s deepest secrets.
According to the Daily Mail, at Prince Harry’s recent events, this unexpected policy was in place: “Many of Harry’s recent appearances have been very carefully publicized, with little information, video, or imagery shared ahead of or during the events. Instead, approved photos or video clips have been released hours, even days, after they occur. That same policy seems to have been very much in place at this latest event, with a staff member telling Daily Mail that access was only granted to a pre-approved list of people.”
Critics continue to go after the power couple for wanting to have things both ways.
