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.

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Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, welcomes Meghan MarkleCredit: AFP

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Meghan has called Nigeria ‘my country’ – just hours after pals revealed Harry was ‘deeply stung’ when snubbed by the KingCredit: AP

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Her comment comes after she discovered she was 43 percent Nigerian, according to a genealogy testCredit: Reuters

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The Sussexes are on the third of a three day ‘faux Royal’ tour of the African nation – and last night stood for God Save The King at a charity event in AbujaCredit: Getty

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Prince Harry gives a speech as he attends a Sit Out at the Nigerian Defence Headquarters in Abuja on May 11Credit: AFP
The Sussexes are on the third of a three day “faux Royal” tour of the African nation – having visited a warzone, played volleyball and even stood up for God Save The King.

Speaking at the event in the capital Abuja on Saturday, Meghan 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.”

The Duchess of Sussex recently 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.”

I remember Meghan’s first royal jobs – it’s amazing to see how far she’s fallen
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams suggests Meghan’s Nigerian ancestry claims give her a “feeling of belonging”.

But he told The Sun there is a “huge question mark” the Royal Family will have over how the Sussexes “faux-royal” tour has been handled.

‘NEVER KNOW WHAT IS NEXT’

He said: “Meghan found out she was 43 percent Nigerian and that gave her a feeling of belonging to the country. Fair enough.

“But where the Sussexes are concerned, there is a huge question mark over how all of this [tour] was handled.

“You can’t help feeling… that an awful lot is happening behind the scenes.

“As for trusting the Sussexes, as successful as their trip will be… I think there will be a great deal of concern [from Buckingham Palace] over how they have built publicity up, used it, and some would say, exploited it, for their Nigerian trip.

“It is always unwise to underestimate the Sussexes because you never quite know what is coming next.

“The unpredictability is something the Royal Family find very difficult to deal with.”

You can’t help feeling… that an awful lot is happening behind the scenes

Richard Fitzwilliams, Royal Expert

It comes 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 up during his three-day visit to London on Tuesday 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.

KID PRAISE

Meghan has said her son Archie, five, and daughter Lilibet, two, are “very chatty”.

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.

At a charity event that night, Harry and Meghan were pictured standing for God Save The King.

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.

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The pair stood bolt upright as a mark of respect as God Save The King was played by a bandCredit: Reuters

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Harry appeared focused during the national anthem on Saturday night in Abuja

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After arriving an hour late to the event, Meghan 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’Credit: Reuters

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Meghan co-hosted the Women in Leadership event with Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director General of the World Trade Organization in Abuja, NigeriaCredit: Reuters

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Harry watches on during a dinner at the Nigerian Defence Headquarters in Abuja on May 11Credit: AFP

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Meghan, Duchess of Sussex adjusts her glasses as she and Harry attend a volleyball match played with wounded army veteransCredit: Reuters

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Harry and Meghan attend a Sit Out at the Nigerian Defence Headquarters in Abuja on May 11, 2024Credit: AFP

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Harry applauds as he takes part in an exhibition sitting volleyball match with Invictus Games hopefuls on May 11Credit: AFP

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Prince Harry and Meghan, left, Nigeria chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, right, watch an exhibition sitting volleyball match in Abuja, Nigeria, Saturday, May 11Credit: AP

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Meghan received flowers from a little girl while at the Nigerian army Defence HQ in Abuja on Saturday