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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's reaction revealed as God Save the King is sung - watch

The Sussexes stood up as the British national anthem rang out

Sharnaz Shahid
Deputy Online Editor
May 13, 2024
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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were greeted with open arms during their three-day tour of Nigeria over the weekend. 

Although they were not representing the British royal family, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were seen standing up as God Save the King was sung at a Nigerian charity event on Saturday. Watch the clip below to see their reaction… 

WATCH: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stand for God Save The King

God Save The King is the national and royal anthem for the British territories, Commonwealth realms, and the British Crown Dependencies. The author of the lyrics remains unknown although it is often attributed to the composer John Bull. 

Prince Harry and Meghan were at a lunch event in Abuja which took place hours after they watched a volleyball match and were mobbed by fans. Meghan, 42, looked beautiful in a white strapless St. Agni dress, whilst her glossy brunette tresses were swept into a low chignon. 

The couple were the guests of honour as they sat in specially marked chairs. They were both poker-faced as the British and Nigerian national anthems were played - Harry, eyes front, with his arms by his side. 

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle listen to God Save the King© Getty
Prince Harry and Meghan stood up as the national anthem was sung

The Duke and Duchess then enjoyed the energy of a group of dancers and drummers before watching some testimonies of wounded warriors. After the reception, they were shown a computer-generated tour of the new planned Invictus Centre which provides a haven of physical and mental rehabilitation for wounded service personnel. 

During the series of addresses, Abike Dabiri Erewa, chairman of the Nigerian Diaspora Commission brought wide smiles and claps from Meghan — and applause from around the room when she exclaimed: "Princess Meghan is a Nigerian!" 

Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, pose for a photo as they attend the program held in the Armed Forces Complex in Abuja, Nigeria on May 11, 2024. (Photo by Emmanuel Osodi/Anadolu via Getty Images)© Getty
The couple posed for a photo as they attended the program held in the Armed Forces Complex in Abuja, Nigeria

Abike confessed she wasn't surprised when Meghan said on her podcast she had Nigerian heritage, saying: "I was excited but not surprised. Because she is beautiful, intelligent, diligent and hardworking and she stands firm in the midst of challenges.

LISTEN - Why Prince Harry and Meghan's kids did not accompany them to Nigeria

 

"Prince Harry you married the best — our daughter, our friend Princess Meghan. I hope you come back again, again and again." She continued: "Princess Meghan, you married the best man. He is handsome and gorgeous and the best man." 

The three-day trip marked Meghan and Harry's first visit to Nigeria as a couple. The country holds a special place for them both, with Meghan having spent time with the Nigerian team at the Invictus Games last year and was even bestowed her own Nigerian name, Amira Ngozi Lolo.

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