Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, knows that wherever she goes, conversation is sure to follow. And it was with that in mind that she planned her outfits for a recent three-day tour to Nigeria.
From the philanthropic efforts her and Prince Harry endorsed to the speeches that Markle gave and the clothes she wore for the occasion, the message was clear that this is a couple that knows all too well their every move telegraphs meaning. Throughout the tour, which celebrated Nigeria becoming the first African country to take part in Prince Harry’s Invictus Games last year, the couple allowed their actions to speak louder than their words.
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The Sussex’s trip to Nigeria, which marked their first to the country, drew similarities to King Charles and Princess Diana’s trip there in March 1990, during which the former couple aimed to raise awareness of mental health. For a reception hosted to honour military families on May 10, Markle paid tribute to her late mother-in-law by wearing Princess Diana's gold Cartier Tank Française watch and a previously never-before-seen necklace that belonged to the former Princess of Wales. The subtle nods were interpreted by royal fans as a way for Markle to show her allegiance to Diana's legacy of philanthropy.
The following day, after attending a reception in Abuja, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were presented with an outfit made of aso oke, a hand-woven cloth from South West Nigeria. Shortly afterward, the Duchess fashioned the cloth into a skirt, which she wore with a white Carolina Herrera shirt and metallic snakeskin heels by Burberry Prorsum for one of the couple’s final engagements.
'Princess Meghan is a Nigerian!' Abike Dabiri Erewa, chairman of the Nigerian Diaspora, said at the event, inviting a round of applause from the crowd and a smile from Markle. During an episode of her former podcast Archetypes, Markle discussed her Nigerian heritage, revealed through a genealogy test. Throughout the trip, she spoke of the connection she feels to the country.
For another engagement, Markle wore a peach-toned 'Windsor' dress by Californian lifestyle label Heidi Merrick. Although eagled-eyed royal fans were quick to speculate on social media that the choice of the dress seemed like a specific nod to the royal family, whose surname is Windsor. 'She is taking a page out of Wallis’ handbook,' one user wrote on X, referencing the American socialite Wallis Simpson, whose husband, King Edward VIII, abdicated the throne to marry her in 1936.
During the tour, she also recycled the daffodil yellow Carolina Herrera gown she first debuted on her son Archie's first birthday.
The politely toned tour comes at a pivotal time for the couple as they look to cement their newfound Hollywood status. Following a short hiatus after being dropped from her Spotify deal, Markle is now back to work, launching a new lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, earlier this year and hiring a new stylist, Los Angeles-based Jamie Mizrahi. She is also reportedly collaborating on a new podcast series with female-founded media company, Lemonada Media. It seems Markle is preparing to hard-launch herself again.
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Naomi May is a seasoned culture journalist and editor with over ten years’ worth of experience in shaping stories and building digital communities. After graduating with a First Class Honours from City University's prestigious Journalism course, Naomi joined the Evening Standard, where she worked across both the newspaper and website. She is now the Digital Editor at ELLE Magazine and has written features for the likes of The Guardian, Vogue, Vice and Refinery29, among many others. Naomi is also the host of the ELLE Collective book club.
