Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s royal trip to Nigeria is a “bold statement that they refuse to accept that they are no longer working royals”, according to an expert.
Speak with The mirrorauthor Tom Quinn noted that the 72-hour visit ‘confirmed the worst fears’ for the Duke of Sussex’s family, and left the King and Prince of Wales ‘absolutely furious’.
“Everything you would expect from an official royal visit was there: the receptions, the visits to schools and charities, to wounded soldiers and the disabled,” he explained.
“Meghan and Harry’s speeches and their whole attitude are designed to give the impression that they are still fully paid-up royals and that William and his father, King Charles, don’t like it at all.”
Tom said Harry and Meghan appear to have gone ‘rogue’ – and claimed the firm was worried they would ‘try to do a quick deal’.
Speaking to The Mirror, author Tom Quinn noted that the 72-hour visit “confirmed the worst fears” for the Duke of Sussex’s family.
“For Charles and William, it’s like Meghan and Harry saying, ‘We don’t need your permission to work as royals – we’ll do it on our own terms, wherever and whenever we want,’” he added.
Much of the Sussexes’ visit resembled a royal tour.
However, the Duke and Duchess set foot in the West African country entirely on their own terms after being invited by the military for the three-day trip.
Sources within the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office confirmed to MailOnline that Harry and Meghan ‘visited Nigeria in their personal capacity’, with the British government ‘not involved in arranging or facilitating their programme’.
But although Harry and Meghan stepped down as senior royals in 2020, their visit bore several similarities to foreign travel by working members of the royal family.
Royal expert Michael Cole told MailOnline that although the couple had ‘a private visit from two royal characters’, they ‘exploited their royal status to the hilt and tried in every way to give the impression it was real’.
He said that while the Sussexes’ trip was “not a state visit, official visit or royal tour,” it appeared to be a “tour proposed by Buckingham Palace and approved by the British government.”
He added that the couple “succeeded to such an extent that they will return to California very satisfied with their three days in Nigeria.”
Tom said Harry and Meghan appear to have gone ‘rogue’ – and claimed the firm was worried they would ‘try to do a quick deal’. William and Charles pictured earlier this month
Sources within the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office confirmed to MailOnline that Harry and Meghan ‘visited Nigeria in their personal capacity’, with the British government ‘not involved in arranging or facilitating their programme’.
But although Harry and Meghan stepped down as senior royals in 2020, their visit bore several similarities to foreign travel by working members of the royal family.
Royal expert Michael Cole told MailOnline that although the couple had ‘a private visit from two royal characters’, they ‘exploited their royal status to the hilt and tried in every way to give the impression it was real’.
The dress from the Californian label was also released as part of a collection in 2018, the year Harry and Meghan got married at Windsor Castle.
The Sussexes also enjoyed cultural events, a trip to a polo club, meeting wounded soldiers at a military hospital and playing adaptive sports.
Former Mail On Sunday royal correspondent Charlotte Wace wrote in The times: ‘Despite similarities to their tours before stepping back as working royals in 2020, there were key differences.
‘The press pack had been replaced by one reporter and one photographer. Most importantly, they represented themselves rather than the monarch, and were free to choose their schedule.
‘There appeared to be fewer formalities and more selfies compared to past trips.’
Others pointed out the fashion trends in the outfits Meghan wore, including a striking backless dress by American designer Heidi Merrick called ‘The Windsor’.
The dress from the Californian label was also released as part of a collection in 2018, the year Harry and Meghan got married at Windsor Castle.
