Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, received a new and meaningful nickname during her visit to the Invictus Games in Düsseldorf, Germany, this week. The royal couple, Prince Harry and Meghan, attended the prestigious paralympic sporting event for veterans founded by Prince Harry in 2014.
As they watched a thrilling wheelchair basketball match between Ukraine and Australia at the Merkur Spiel-Arena, the Duke and Duchess were seen passionately cheering from the bleachers. Following the match, they had the opportunity to meet with members of the Nigerian contingent, marking Nigeria’s inaugural participation in the Invictus Games and making it the first African nation to compete in the tournament.
The Nigerian team presented Meghan with a special nickname, “Amira Ngozi Lolo.” This unique moniker combines three names from different regions: “Amira,” representing a warrior princess from Nigerian legend, “Ngozi,” meaning “blessed,” and “Lolo,” signifying “royal wife.”
Meghan’s revelation of her mixed-race heritage, including being “43 per cent Nigerian,” was made public last year during an episode of her Spotify podcast, Archetypes.
Ziwe, a Nigerian-American actor, expressed enthusiasm for Meghan’s heritage discovery, stating that Meghan looked like a Nigerian and that it was a significant moment for the community.
The Invictus Games Foundation’s Chief Executive, Dominic Reid OBE, welcomed Nigeria’s participation, emphasising the impact of the opportunities provided and the support from military stakeholders. He highlighted that Nigeria was ready and well-prepared to join the Invictus Games, extending an invitation to a team of 10 wounded, injured, or sick service personnel and veterans.
Prince Harry also playfully added that Meghan would be cheering for Nigeria, making the competition more spirited, given her newfound Nigerian heritage. He humorously noted that it might make things “a little bit more competitive this year.”
The Invictus Games this year features 550 sick, wounded, and injured former and current military personnel from around the world participating in 10 team and individual sports.
Prince Harry’s idea for the tournament, inspired by his visit to the US department of defence’s Warrior Games, has evolved into a platform that showcases how sport can aid in the rehabilitation of injured and sick military personnel since its inception in 2014.