Following a volleyball event this morning for Nigeria: Unconquered, a national charity aligned with Prince Harry’s Invictus Games, the royal couple graced a reception hosted at the Defense Headquarters Officers Mess. It was a gathering infused with significance, as military families and members of the widow association united to commemorate shared bonds and celebrate new beginnings.
Meghan, adorned in a St. Agni white strapless column linen dress, epitomized glamour and sophistication, while Harry exuded charm in a cream linen suit, perfectly complementing his radiant wife. Their attire mirrored the occasion’s essence—elegance intertwined with purpose—as they engaged in heartfelt conversations with guests.
Under the gracious hospitality of Chief of Defense Staff, General Christopher Musa, the evening commenced with stirring national anthems, a poignant reminder of the enduring ties between nations. The reception unfolded with a mesmerizing dance performance and heartfelt testimonies from wounded warriors, showcasing the resilience and spirit of service encapsulated by the Invictus Games.
The couple stand for the UK’s national anthem.
Lance Corporal Peacemaker Azuegbulam’s inspiring journey, despite facing physical challenges, underscored the transformative power of the games in instilling hope and purpose. A glimpse into the future was offered with a computer-generated tour of a planned Invictus Centre, poised to be a sanctuary of healing and rehabilitation for wounded service personnel—a beacon of resilience and renewal.
Amidst speeches and accolades, Meghan’s Nigerian heritage resonated deeply, eliciting admiration and affection from all quarters. Abike Dabiri Erewa’s heartfelt tribute to the Duchess reaffirmed the universal sentiment of admiration, underscoring Meghan’s unwavering commitment to service and resilience.
Meghan looks beautiful, but the aunties didn’t come to play, lol. Look at these outfits ✨ pic.twitter.com/C4tnZp34ly
— Isa Mbandi (@IsaMbandi) May 11, 2024
As the evening unfolded, Prince Harry’s poignant reflections on sacrifice and resilience struck a chord, highlighting the transformative potential of post-injury possibilities. His tribute to the new Invictus Centre served as a testament to the enduring legacy of service and solidarity.
Below, Meghan and Harry receive gifts.
A clip of the couple being presented with Aso-Oke outfits. Aso-Oke fabric is a hand-woven cloth created by the Yoruba people of west Africa.
Abike Dabiri presents Yoruba attire to the Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry and his wife Duchess Meghan at the ongoing reception for the British royals in Abuja.#PrinceHarry#MeghanandHarryinNigeria pic.twitter.com/V4VHiTiYNj
— The Whistler Newspaper (@TheWhistlerNG) May 11, 2024
In a fitting finale, amidst rhythmic beats of music, the couple graciously accepted an invitation to dance, embodying the spirit of joy and camaraderie that defined the evening.
Meghan and Harry dancing with Hon. Dr. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, OON, Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) at the reception hosted by the Chief of Defense Staff ✨💃🎶🇳🇬 #HarryandMeghaninNigeria pic.twitter.com/LyjnkRhbVC
— Rebecca 🤎 (@rebecca_sussex) May 11, 2024
As Harry and Meghan continue to champion causes close to their hearts, their presence in Nigeria serves as a beacon of inspiration.
Our look at what Meghan wore for the event.
Meghan’s dress is from St. Agni – the Strapless Column Maxi Dress in off-white, $415. It is crafted from a linen and viscose blend fabric. The dress is from the brand’s Pre Fall 2024 collection and no longer available.
This is the second time we’ve seen Meghan wear the brand as she wore their ‘Hudson’ Midi Dress in black, $465, for the recent Sentebale Polo reception back in April.
We haven’t seen a good image of Meghan’s shoes – just a glimpse. They are the Aquazzura So Nude sandal 105 in pink, $750.
Meghan wore a new pair of earrings. We’re thinking they are vintage Dior – Love Knot earrings in gold.
Thanks to Pearl K on X for the dress and earrings ID.
UPDATE 5/12: Read People Magazine’s exclusive story about Meghan wearing Diana’s cross pendant (a gift from Harry) here.
The Telegraph reports that her cross pendant necklace is one that belonged to Princess Diana. We have not yet found a photo of Diana wearing the necklace but will update the post if we come across one.
She had on the same bracelets from earlier today – Ariel Gordon ‘Hex’ bracelet and her Lorraine Schwartz, the Against Evil Eye Five Eye Diamond Pave Bracelet, $18,500 — her staple pieces, Diana’s gold Cartier Tank watch and Cartier ‘Love’ bracelet and the unidentified beaded bangle.
The Telegraph also reported that Meghan wore her own tank watch (which is two-tone stainless and gold), but after looking at a number of photos, it is indeed the all gold tank watch that belonged to Diana. See a few of the photos below showing the all gold watch.
There seems to be a lot of confusion around this particular watch time and time again—Meghan’s two-tone vs. Diana’s all gold. We first reported about it when we discovered it was Diana’s in July 2020. You can read our post about the watch here.
We show the two different watches below — the Cartier 18k gold Tank Francaise watch (Diana’s) on the left and the two-tone version that Meghan own’s on the right.
Meghan first wore Diana’s watch in July 2020 when she was spotted out in LA.
We have one more short post coming for Meghan’s Women in Leadership panel engagement that took place this afternoon.
Just Exquisite ❤️
Magnifiques et charmants comme d’habitude.
Absolutely lovely! And I love the fit of the dress.
Simple. Elegant.
I love this look so much. I’ve been wondering if the vintage earrings she’s been wearing are Diana’s or inspired by Diana. They remind me a lot of the type of earrings that were fashionable during Diana’s time in the spotlight. Either way, they’re beautiful.
I wondered the same. But if they confirmed the cross to be Diana’s, I think they would have done the same for the earrings which makes me think they’re not Diana’s but definitely inspired by her
Ariel – After thinking about it, I came to the same conclusion. Since Simon Perry had an exclusive with Harry and Meghan about the necklace, I would think they would’ve revealed if the vintage earrings had been Diana’s as well. Thanks, Susan
I love her look! I notice the evil eye bracelet looks even prettier in the photo, on Meghan. It would be great if the cross had belonged to Diana — the country seems to hold Diana in great esteem.
Hi Allison, It was reported by several outlets that the cross pendant did belong to Diana — we’re hoping someone finds a photo of her weaering it. I will keep you all posted! Thanks, Susan
Hope so — it would be great to be able to see a closeup of it.
Beautiful.