The Duchess of Sussex kept her promise to “wear more colour” as she wore a bright yellow dress to meet the Governor of Lagos State in Nigeria on Sunday.
The 42-year-old actress wore the ankle-length Carolina Herrera “Yellow Silk Covered Column Dress” she wore in 2021 to announce her pregnancy with Princess Lilibet.
She was also photographed wearing the dress in a social media post to celebrate Prince Archie’s first birthday in May 2020.
On Saturday the Duchess said: “I [had] I got the memo pretty quickly that I needed to wear more color so I could match all of your incredible style. I am very bored.”
She changed into her dress for a private meeting with Lagos State Governor Babjide Sanwo-Olu on Sunday afternoon.
Inside, the Duke and Duchess spoke about mental health, the Invictus Games and their visit to the country.
When they emerged onto the lawn in front of the Marina State House, the Duchess was carrying an additional shawl that matched the dress; This was a gift from the Governor’s wife.
“For Prince Harry, this has been a very interesting and very informative trip to the country,” Mr Sanwo-Olu said. “He has seen a lot and is still interested in a lot. “One of the things we hope he takes away is that he sees the diversity and dimension of our country and how we continue to ensure that we live together in peace and harmony.”
Mr Sanwo-Olu said he extended an invitation for the couple to return.
“We’re happy with what they’re doing for soldiers, for mental health issues and mental illness,” he said, “and talked about mobilizing support to ensure that people who need support, both in the military and in the private sector, can seek support. Denial, stigma, is one of the issues we talk about.”
He added: “We are excited for all of us in Lagos to welcome you this afternoon.”
The Duke and Duchess were welcomed to the basketball court of Ilupeju Senior Grammar School with a series of street-style dances.
Masai Ujiri, a former NBA pro and president and vice-president of the Giants of Africa, wished the Duchess a “Happy, happy Mother’s Day”, prompting the Duke to stand and applaud all the women in the room.
Mr. Ujiri told the crowd: “Sometimes it’s hard for us to be away from our children and family to make things like this happen. But doing this shows dedication. We really appreciate your dedication to come and do something like this, so thank you again.”
The Sussexes were there to announce a partnership between the Archewell Foundation and Giants of Africa that uses sport (specifically basketball) to empower and engage young people.
The Duchess revealed she first heard about the charity while living in Toronto, where she was filming US legal drama Suits.
“[It was] “When I first heard about the Giants of Africa – we’re talking full circle – I never imagined that all these years later we would be here and support the expansion of this incredible organization,” he said. “We are grateful and proud of all the work you have done.”
The Duchess added: “We can’t wait to see you play.
“Don’t encourage me to play basketball, my husband is athletic. Thank you, we are happy to be here. Let’s have a fun afternoon.”
Taking the microphone, the Duke hailed the charity’s work: “What you guys are doing here at Giants of Africa is truly amazing.”
“Especially regarding sports. The power of sport can change lives. It brings people together, it creates community and there are no barriers, which is the most important thing. It’s great to see each of you sitting here on this field today. I know you’re ready to go. “We’ll put those guns in motion and you’ll show us how good you are.”
The Duke then took to the field and participated in some bouncing drills.
When the event ended, he took the shot and scored the goal.
On Saturday evening, the Duchess spoke at a women’s leadership event and thanked her hosts for hosting her “in my country”. She previously revealed that during a genealogy test she discovered she was “43 percent Nigerian.”
Describing Nigerian women as “brave, resilient, courageous, strong, beautiful”, the Duchess said: “Being in that company, being in your company is the proudest thing.”
She added: “It has been truly eye-opening and humbling to learn more about my heritage, and knowing this is just the beginning of that discovery.”
The Duchess, who attended the event with Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, director general of the World Trade Organization, also talked about how much she loved being a mother.
“Being a mother was always my dream,” she said. “And I am so lucky that we have two beautiful, healthy, sweet children who are very talkative.”