Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's recent trip to Nigeria has sparked speculation about the dynamics within the couple's relationship, with experts claiming that the Duchess of Sussex has overshadowed her husband and left him looking "worried" and "not quite himself." The high-profile visit, which was the couple's first overseas tour since stepping down as working royals, has also fueled rumors that the Sussexes are planning more royal-style trips in the near future.
According to royal expert Duncan Larcombe, Meghan Markle's strong personality and ambition have inevitably led to her outshining Prince Harry and grabbing attention away from him. "Meghan is a very strong character, very driven, extremely ambitious, and those are the kind of characteristics that mean she will almost always inevitably outshine Harry and grab the attention from him," Larcombe told OK! magazine. He added that Harry is "entirely in her shadow" and has never been at ease with the attention he receives.
During their three-day visit to Nigeria, Meghan dazzled in an array of striking outfits and spoke publicly about discovering her Nigerian heritage, which she described as "my country." The trip, which has been dubbed "The Meghan Show" by some observers, saw the Duchess take center stage while Harry appeared to be pushed to the sidelines. Larcombe suggested that while this may not be a deliberate move on Meghan's part, the costly outfits she wore during the trip indicate that "maybe it's not a complete accident that she steals the limelight."
Body language expert Darren Stanton also weighed in on the couple's interaction during the Nigeria visit, telling OK! that while Harry and Meghan appeared "filled with joy" at times, the Duke of Sussex often looked "worried" and "not quite himself." Stanton noted that Harry's eyebrows were angling down and some of his facial expressions and smiles "weren't the most genuine," suggesting that he was feeling apprehensive and nervous.
Despite these observations, the Sussexes are reportedly thrilled with the reception and coverage of their Nigeria trip and are already drawing up plans for more royal-style tours in the future. A source close to the couple told the Mirror that they have other trips planned for the remainder of the year and are hoping to share more details in the coming weeks. The source also hinted at the possibility of the couple returning to Africa for more tours, a continent that holds special significance for them.
Harry and Meghan's trip to Nigeria was focused on championing their Archewell Foundation's mental health initiatives and promoting the Invictus Games, which Nigeria competed in for the first time last year. The couple met with military leaders, injured soldiers, and school children, all of whom gave them a rapturous welcome. Meghan, who discovered she is 43 percent Nigerian following a genealogy test in 2022, was particularly thrilled by the reception she received in what she described as "her country."
Africa has long been a special place for the royal couple, with Harry proposing to Meghan with a diamond sourced from Botswana, where they enjoyed a trip for their third date in 2016 and returned to celebrate Meghan's 36th birthday. The couple also carried out their first-ever royal tour together in Africa, visiting South Africa, Botswana, Angola, and Malawi in 2019.
As the Sussexes plan more trips around the globe, it remains to be seen how the dynamics between Harry and Meghan will play out in the public eye. While some experts suggest that Meghan's star power may be overshadowing her husband, others believe that Harry's preference for being "second fiddle" may be a factor in the couple's public appearances. Regardless of the speculation, it is clear that the Sussexes are determined to continue their philanthropic work and promote their causes on a global scale.
