Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have plans to travel to Nigeria later this month but it may not be an easy visit for them.
Prince Harry will be in the United Kingdom for a ceremony honoring the tenth anniversary of his fantastic charity, The Invictus Games.
Despite being on the guest list, Meghan Markle is not planning to attend. She plans to join him on another trip shortly after Prince Harry finishes his duties in the UK.
The prince started the Invictus Games a decade ago, and it makes sense for him to attend the ceremony at St. Paul’s Cathedral even though he has cited security concerns while in the UK.
Prince Harry originally left the United Kingdom for North America after he decided to step down as a working royal alongside Meghan, and their security was subsequently cut down.
Since Prince Harry knows the security concerns of traveling with his wife, his plans to travel to Nigeria seem odd since there is a US travel advisory for that country.
A former security expert calls the idea ‘strange’ for Prince Harry to visit Nigeria
A spokesperson for the Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, released a statement on X (formerly Twitter) explaining that Prince Harry and Meghan will be visiting Nigeria in May 2024. They will discuss the Invictus Games and Nigeria is hopeful that it may host the Invictus Games in the future.
The plans for Meghan and Harry to visit Nigeria are being met with resistance from those who understand the security concerns involved in traveling to Africa.
The Express reports that Dai Davies, a former security head for the Royal family, is quoted as saying, “It’s strange that he personifies the risk factors here and is willing to go to one of the world’s most dangerous countries. I would want to know the rationale for this visit to… a very dangerous place.”
It doesn’t seem to make much sense for Meghan to miss a visit to the United Kingdom and then for both of them to go on to Nigeria and still be safe.
The United States Department of State has issued a travel advisory to the country of Nigeria that states in part for people to “Reconsider travel to Nigeria due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, and armed gangs. Some areas have increased risk.”
Prince Harry lost his bid to appeal his security case in the UK
Prince Harry’s plans to travel to the UK for the ceremony and then on to Nigeria comes after his loss with the high court. Sir Peter Lane rejected his appeal in April, according to the Express.
Prince Harry was suing for his security to be returned to him when he was in the United Kingdom and planned to appeal after he lost the case.
Prince Harry’s security was downgraded after he stepped down as a working royal, and his efforts to get it back have continued to be unsuccessful.