King Charles is reportedly set to host a Nigerian State Visit next month, following Prince Harry and Meghan Markle‘s high-profile – and somewhat controversial – unofficial royal visit to Nigeria back in 2024.
According to Buckingham Palace, King Charles and Queen Camilla will welcome Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu to the U.K., marking Nigeria’s first state visit to Britain in 37 years. The three previous Nigerian state visits took place in 1973, 1981, and 1989 during the reign of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
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King Charles Set To Host Nigerian State Visit In March
"The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mr. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, accompanied by the First Lady, Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu, has accepted an invitation from His Majesty The King to pay a State Visit to the United Kingdom from Wednesday, 18th March to Thursday, 19th March 2026," the palace announced in a statement on February 7th.
The statement went on: "The King and Queen will host the State Visit at Windsor Castle."
King Charles and Queen Camilla have both previously visited Nigeria, with King Charles most recently meeting President Tinubu at Buckingham Palace back in September 2024 (above.)
Prince Harry And Meghan Markle's Controversial Nigeria Visit In 2024
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex made a controversial trip to Nigeria in May, 2024, taking place after the With Love, Meghan star learned that she was 43% Nigerian following a genealogy test.
The three-day trip sparked criticism for several reasons, including the fact that it was an unofficial royal visit due to Prince Harry and Meghan no longer being working members of the royal family since they stepped down in 2020.
Their brief trip was also called "disappointing" because it reportedly left the West African nation "feeling betrayed" by its government. The former Suits actress also caused a stir for wearing a series of high-end outfits and jewelry during the visit, with critics calling the display out of touch. Her wardrobe and accessories for the three-day visit were reportedly valued at more than $120,000!
Meghan Markle Refers To Nigeria As 'My Country'
According to People, Meghan made a comment about Nigeria being "my country" while appearing alongside Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization, during a candid panel discussion.
"I am very overwhelmed. So I want to start by saying thank you very much for just how gracious you've all been in welcoming my husband and I to this country," Meghan said, prompting applause from the audience. She then added: "My country."
Referencing her discovery that she is 43% Nigerian, Meghan said: "It's been really eye-opening and humbling to be able to know more about my heritage and to be able to know this is just the beginning of that discovery."
