Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, has found herself at the center of controversy once again following her and Prince Harry’s three-day trip to Nigeria.
The couple, who were invited by Nigerian chief of defence staff General Christopher Musa to bring attention to Harry’s Invictus Games, faced criticism over Markle’s alleged rudeness and choice of attire during the visit.
A video clip that circulated on social media showed Markle seemingly ignoring a woman talking to her and a female student who appeared to offer them something during their visit to Lightway Academy in Abuja.
The incident sparked outrage among some netizens, who accused Markle of being rude and turning her back on the woman while she was still speaking. “OMG, she is so rude! Woman has a WTF hand gesture, and she’s back to dragging him away from people because she can’t be arsed to engage with them,” one commenter remarked.
Despite the backlash, Sussex supporters rallied behind the couple, expressing gratitude for the warm welcome they received in Nigeria and thanking the locals for their hospitality. “I woke up happy… Thank you, Nigeria for the love you have showed (sic) Harry and Meghan. As them (sic) head home today, may God keep them safe back home to the babies,” one supporter wrote.
Markle’s choice of attire also came under scrutiny during the visit. The Duchess donned a backless, beige silk maxi dress by Californian designer Heidi Merrick, called the “Windsor Gown-Blush.”
The dress’s name sparked speculation among royal family followers, with some questioning whether it was a deliberate choice or a mere coincidence, given the couple’s decision to step back from their royal roles in 2020. “Did she really choose a dress called the Windsor Dress, or are you being cheeky for fun,” asked a user on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Biographer Angela Levin, speaking to GB News, criticized Harry and Meghan over their “unofficial royal visit,” calling their appearance “phoney and awful.” Levin claimed that Markle was “very rude” during an interaction at Lightway Academy College, where she allegedly “pulled Harry” while a teacher was talking to her and two girls were politely joining in the conversation. Levin also took issue with Markle’s choice of dress, stating, “If you go to a school, a very quiet school that is a religious one, you don’t go with a dress that’s absolutely no backing to it at all.”
During her visit, Markle also made headlines for arriving late to a women’s leadership summit, where she delivered an empathetic speech and declared Nigeria “her country.” The Duchess revealed that a genealogy test showed she had Nigerian ancestry, describing the discovery as “humbling” and stating that it was “a compliment to you because what they define as a Nigerian woman is brave, resilient, courageous, beautiful.”
The controversy surrounding Meghan Markle’s Nigeria visit has once again highlighted the polarizing nature of the Duchess and the intense scrutiny she faces from both fans and critics alike. While some have praised her for her efforts to connect with her African heritage and bring attention to important causes, others have accused her of being insensitive and out of touch with the people she claims to support.