As she met with women in Nigeria on Saturday, Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, said it had been “humbling” to find out recently through a genealogy test that she is partly Nigerian.
“It’s been really eye-opening to be able to know more about my heritage and to be able to know this is just the beginning of my discovery,” she told guests at the event on women in leadership.
Markle and her husband, British Prince Harry, are visiting Nigeria for the first time to promote mental health for soldiers and young girls.
“What’s been echoed so much really in the past day by men and women alike is ‘Oh! We weren’t surprised when you found out you were Nigerian,” she said.
“I say that mostly as a compliment to all of you, because what they define as a Nigerian woman is brave, resilient, courageous, powerful, beautiful,” she added.
Markle is known for her advocacy on women’s rights and gender equality.
The event, held in the capital Abuja, was co-hosted by Nigerian economist and head of the World Trade Organization, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
It highlighted the importance of female leadership and empowerment in driving positive change globally. Participants discussed the importance of mentorship for young women and career challenges faced by women in the country.
“Oftentimes, when women reach the peak of success, they leave. But you need to come back home, you need to at least be a familiar face for the next generation to say ‘Oh she looks like me, and I can be that’,” said Markle.
The couple’s three-day visit to Nigeria ends on Sunday.
