Meghan Markle says her husband Prince Harry is the real athlete of the family.
On the final day of their tour in Nigeria, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex attended the Giants of Africa basketball exhibition held in Lagos, where Markle delivered a speech to a crowd of organizers and students.
The couple were at Ilupeju Senior Grammar School on Sunday, May 11, to unveil a partnership between the Archwell Foundation and the Giants of Africa, a charity that uses sports like basketball to empower and engage the youth.
“We are thrilled to be here, I will say, on a personal note, I lived in Toronto for seven years, went to quite a few Raptors games, and it was the first time I ever heard of Giants of Africa,” Meghan, 42, said in her speech, as reported by People. (Meghan lived in Toronto when she starred on Suits. Giants of Africa was founded by NBA champion and president of the Toronto Raptors Masai Ujiri.)
“So, talk about full circle,” she said. “Never in a million years did I think we would be here, supporting the expansion of this incredible organization through our foundation, the Archewell Foundation. We’re so grateful, we are so proud of the work you are doing and everyone who helped bring this together today.”
Meghan then went on to address the athletes. “To all of you, we can’t wait to see you play,” she told them, before joking, “Don’t tempt me to try to do any basketball, my husband is the athletic one!” She added, “But thank you, we’re happy to be here, and let’s have a fun afternoon.”
After her speech, Harry, 39, stepped onto the court and proved his wife right, participating in basketball drills and even scoring a basket.
Harry and Meghan kicked off their first official tour of Nigeria on Friday, May 10, with a visit to a school in the capital city of Abuja. On Saturday, Meghan appeared during a panel discussion about women in leadership, where she spoke candidly about balancing motherhood and a career.
The couple’s three-day visit to the African country also serves as the 10th-anniversary celebration of the Invictus Games, co-founded by Harry to honor wounded military veterans. On their second day in Nigeria, the couple attended a volleyball game hosted by Nigeria: Unconquered, a charity affiliated with the Invictus Games.
While at the volleyball game, Meghan revealed to 9-year-old Tiwa Akanbi that Harry loves the American sport, and is “very good” at the game himself.
“She said Prince Harry loves to play volleyball and that he’s very good at it,” Akanbi told People on Saturday. “And she asked me if I play volleyball in my school. And I said yes.”