The British newspaper, Daily Mail, known for its often negative portrayal of Africa, has launched a scathing attack on Prince Harry and Princess Meghan following their visit to Nigeria.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrived in Nigeria on Friday morning for a 72-hour tour. The royal couple is in the country to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, an event founded by Prince Harry to aid the rehabilitation of wounded and sick service members and veterans, including Nigerian soldiers fighting a 14-year war against Islamic extremists.
However, the Daily Mail, citing some mischievous social media users, joked that Prince Harry looks like African royalty after he was photographed accepting a picture of Princess Diana from Kaduna State governor, Senator Ubah Sani. Governor Sani presented Harry with a framed portrait of Diana holding him as a child, along with another portrait of him and Meghan on their wedding day, and other gifts before decorating him with traditional Hausa attire.
The British paper, in an attempt to further criticize Prince Harry, quoted critics saying that the trip to Nigeria, the ninth most dangerous country in Africa, is ‘hypocritical’ and branded it the ‘Harry and Meghan show’. Former royal protection officer Dai Davies, quoted in the report, said, “Seeing all his presidential style security really does stick in the throat. For a couple who say all they want is privacy to visit one of the most dangerous places in the world…is crazy and you have to wonder why.”
Prince Harry’s tour of Nigeria with his wife Meghan Markle comes 34 years after Princess Diana visited the country with Prince Charles. Back then, the Princess of Wales displayed the kindness which she became famous for when she held the hand of a leprosy patient. Today, after his and Meghan’s arrival in Abuja, Harry evoked memories of his suffering following his mother’s death when he spoke to a group of school children.
The Duke of Sussex, who was 12 when Diana was killed in a car crash in Paris in 1997, told the pupils there is ‘no shame to be able to acknowledge that today is a bad day’. His and Meghan’s visit will be seen by the Duke as another effort to continue his mother’s ‘unfinished’ work, the angry British paper reported.
