Harry & Meghan Nigeria Visit

Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, have arrived in Nigeria amid pomp and dancing to champion mental health for young people affected by conflicts and to promote the Invictus Games, which the prince founded to aid the rehabilitation of wounded and sick service members and veterans.

The couple, in the West African nation for the first time on the invitation of its military, began their three-day visit  by going to the Lightway Academy school which receives support from their Archewell foundation to train young girls affected by conflicts in Nigeria, before going on to meet with the nation's military officers.

Harry and Meghan will also be meeting with wounded soldiers and their families in what Nigerian officials have said is a show of support to improve the morale of the soldiers, including those fighting a 14-year war against Islamic extremists in the country's northeast.

Harry served in Afghanistan as an Apache helicopter co-pilot gunner, after which he founded the Invictus Games in 2014 to offer wounded veterans and servicemembers the challenge of competing in sports events similar to the Paralympics. Nigeria was among the nations that participated in last year’s edition of the games.

At the Abuja school where they kicked off an inaugural mental health summit organized by local non-profit GEANCO, which partners with their foundation, the couple were received by a dancing troupe and a crowd of excited students and teachers.

Meghan will co-host an event on women in leadership with Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director General of the World Trade Organization, according to the couple's spokesperson, Charlie Gipson.

The news of Meghan’s visit excited some in Nigeria where her life — and association with the British royal family — is closely followed. Meghan has also said in the past that she found out through a genealogy test that she was 43% Nigerian.