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The Duchess of Sussex, 42, made hersporting event debuton Wednesday in Düsseldorf, Germany, joining her husband at the sixth edition of his international adaptive sports competition for wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans. Meghan and Prince Harry, 38, watched a wheelchair basketball game between Ukraine and Australia, checked out a children’s event and spent time with the Nigerian team, whom Harry said his wife is supporting duringhis opening speechon Saturday.
“Now, I’m not saying we play favorites in our home, but since my wife discovered she’s of Nigerian descent, it’s likely to get a little bit more competitive this year,” he joked at the opening ceremony. Last fall, the Duchess of Sussex revealed on her podcast Archetypes that she had recently learned she was43% Nigerianthanks to a genealogy test.
Prince Harry and Meghan posed for a photo with Team Nigeria and the national flag, andHello!magazinereported the squad presented them with a plaque from the Chief of Defense — plus a new nickname for Meghan. According to the outlet, she received the name “Amira Ngozi Lolo,” which bears a royal meaning. Amira is the name of a warrior princess from a legend, while Ngozi means “blessed” and Lolo means “royal wife.”
The former actress married Prince Harry in May 2018, and the newlyweds received theirDuke and Duchess of Sussex titlesfrom Harry’s grandmotherQueen Elizabethas a wedding present. While the couple stepped back from their royal roles in the U.K. and relocated to Meghan’s home state of California in 2020, they retained their Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles.
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“It is so special to be here, and I’m so sorry that I was a little late for the party. Just like so many of you, we know this is about family and friends and the community that Invictus has created, that Fischer House has created, and so I had to just spend a little bit more time getting our little ones settled home,” the Duchess of Sussex said at the Family & Friends party, which she attended with Harry aftertraveling in from California, according toHello!. “Getting milkshakes, doing school drop off and then I just landed a couple of hours ago. I am thrilled that the first event that I can do with Invictus is here with all of you.”
Meghan went on to thank the Fisher House for organizing the festive event and revealed that she recently paid a visit to one of the organization’s Los Angeles hubs.TheFisher House Foundationprovides a home away from home for military and veteran families while their loved ones are hospitalized, and operates 94 Fisher Houses in the U.S., U.K. and Germany.
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Celebrating competitors and sharing support from those “here in spirit,” Meghan concluded, “Have the best time, we’re cheering for you, and we can’t wait to bring our kids also so they can experience just how awesome this is.”
“That I am grateful for every experience I had in and out of my uniform. That I learned how to be in true service for others. That finding your purpose is one of the most gratifying experiences. And that working hard should be fulfilling and rewarding at the same time,” Prince Harry told PEOPLE.
source: people.com
