The Duke and Duchess of Sussex visited Wuse Lightway Academy in Nigeria, which is supported by their Archewell Foundation, with Meghan urging pupils to 'just be honest with each other'.
Meghan Markle praised 'smart' Prince Harry today as their 72-hour tour of Nigeria got underway, saying her husband was 'so inspiring because he speaks the truth.'
They visited the school about five hours after their arrival in Abuja – before heading onto the Nigerian Defence Headquarters for their next engagement from noon. Harry gave his own speech about mental health, evoking memories of his suffering after his mother Princess Diana's death when he referred to people who have 'lost a loved one in your family and you don't know who to turn to or who to speak to'.
The Sussexes were greeted by a dancing troupe and a crowd of excited students and teachers. Student Nnenna Okorie said of Meghan: 'She is the prettiest human being ever. I admire her so much and then Harry. I love how he is so supportive.' 'As I look around this room, I see myself in all of you as well. So it is a complete honour to have our first visit to Nigeria, be here with all of you.
The Sussexes, visiting Nigeria together for the first time, were seated in the first class section of the Boeing 777 and were kept apart from other passengers by a curtain. Meanwhile Harry's brother Prince William was carrying out engagements on the Isles of Scilly this morning, where he bought some Cornish pasties at a cafe.
He said that people had to 'look after yourselves to be able to look after other people, and other people have to be able to look after themselves to be able to look after you', adding: 'That's the way it works.' 'But guess what? Every single person in this room - the youngest, the oldest - every single person has mental health. So therefore you have to look after yourselves to be able to look after other people, and other people have to be able to look after themselves to be able to look after you. That's the way it works.
They will be meeting wounded soldiers and their families in what Nigerian officials have said is a show of support to improve the soldiers' morale and wellbeing. 'The recovery programme has given them an opportunity to improve their personal self-esteem, to improve their mental health and emotional intelligence.
The Duke replied: 'It's great. Just as the lights turned off, perfect timing. It's great, it's amazing. What Scotty's is doing with these kids is absolutely incredible, and very needed as well. Meghan was wearing black trousers and a brown jacket, while Harry walked behind in a black jacket and trousers and open necked shirt.
It is also close to the Nigerian Defence Headquarters where the couple will have an engagement at 12pm with General Christopher Musa, Chief of Defence Staff. It was there that he told the audience Meghan was 'rooting for Team Nigeria' after discovering she had heritage from the west African nation.The couple are due to visit a school before the duke meets injured service members at a military hospital.
The department said Meghan was looking forward to visiting Nigeria to 'explore her Nigerian ancestry'. Read More Did Prince Harry try to upstage his family by making royal-style visit to charity that helps bereaved children of military parents in London - as brother Prince William and father King Charles carried out official visits elsewhere? Harry also joked about Meghan's ancestry during his opening speech at the games.
The St Paul's service to recognise the Paralympic-style competition the royal founded began as a few miles away the King met guests at the first Buckingham Palace garden party of the year.
Harry met Nigeria's chief of defence staff in Germany last September at the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf. Read More Zara Tindall puts on emotional display as she's supported by husband Mike Tindall and her father Captain Mark Phillips at day two of the Badminton Horse Trials Earlier this year 85 people were abducted over one weekend in the highway that links Abuja to Kaduna 70 miles to the north.
Read More Resurfaced clip shows 21-year-old Prince Harry gushing about Prince William saying he's the 'one person I can talk to about anything' While still in London yesterday, Harry chatted and played games with bereaved military children as he made a surprise visit to a charity event. The duke, 39, completed two tours of Afghanistan between 2007 and 2013 as a forward air controller and an Apache helicopter pilot, having flown countless training missions in the UK, US and Australia.
Georgia Paterson, 16, said it was 'amazing' to speak to the duke about the experience of losing a parent growing up.
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