Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Speak out About Their Special Trip to Africa

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's three-day trip to Nigeria was an important one for the royals.

By Anna Rumer

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are opening up about their "meaningful" three-day trip to Nigeria. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex spoke to PEOPLE in an interview published on May 15 while the couple was on tour of the African country at the invitation of Nigeria's chief of defense staff. The international visit, which was scheduled from May 10-12, marked the couple's first official trip since moving to the U.S. in 2020 and taking a step back from their royal duties.

"It was such warm hospitality and it was a really meaningful trip. It was incredibly memorable and special," said Meghan, 42. "That alone is the best souvenir to take with us – all the memories we've made."

Harry, 39, told the outlet that he was happy to be physically present to support some of the causes that matter most to the royals, from his Invictus Games adaptive sports tournament for veterans to the couple's charitable Archewell Foundation. 

"Always nice to be on the move, in a sense, but also these trips are about us being able to go out and go and focus on the things that mean so much to us and support the causes that are close to our heart," he said. "And being able to be on the ground that, to us, is what it's all about."

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When it comes to future travel plans, Harry seemed to hint that there were similar opportunities the couple would be happy to take in the future. "It is hugely important for us to meet directly with people, supporting our causes and listening, in order to bring about solutions, support and positive change," he said. "There's only so much one can do from home and over Zoom, so we look forward to traveling more because the work matters. Whether it's the Archewell Foundation, Invictus or any of our other causes, there will always be reasons to meet the people at the heart of our work."

As for being in Nigeria specifically, Harry continued, "You know what Africa means to me over the years. It is a very, very special place, and to be able to include Nigeria now [in Invictus], I'm very happy." Meghan and Harry's trip marks one of the more recent royal public endeavors, as both King Charles and Princess Kate are being treated for cancer and have taken a step back from the spotlight.

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