NEW DELHI: Prince Harry, 39, and Meghan Markle, 42, recently undertook a trip to Nigeria, drawing sharp reactions from the British royal family. Despite stepping back from royal duties in 2020, the couple's visit resembled an official royal tour, causing significant consternation among senior royals.
Royal expert Tom Quinn told the Mirror that the trip "confirmed the worst fears" of Harry's family, making Prince William and King Charles "absolutely furious." The tour included traditional elements of a royal visit, such as receptions, school visits, and meetings with wounded soldiers and the disabled. Quinn noted, "Everything you might expect from an official royal visit was there — the receptions, the visits to schools and charities, to wounded soldiers and the disabled. Charles is said to be angrier than anyone has ever seen him."
The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office clarified that Harry and Meghan were visiting Nigeria in a private capacity and that the UK government was not involved in organizing their activities. Nonetheless, the visit had all the markings of a traditional royal tour, leading to perceptions of the couple acting as working royals.