Meghan Markle explains choice to wear red dress after choosing only neutrals during trip to Nigeria

The Duchess of Sussex was the lady in red on Saturday, as she joined Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization, to co-host an event focused on Women in Leadership on day two of her Nigerian trip.

Meghan wore a gorgeous red maxi dress by Orire, a contemporary fashion brand which bills itself as “ethically designed and crafted in Lagos, Nigeria. Launched in 2021 it is available at Nordstrom, ShopBop, Rent The Runway and Free People. 

After being asked how she felt to discover her Nigerian heritage, Meghan began: “I am just flattered and honored and inspired. It has been a whirlwind 24 hours since we arrived, and I very quickly got the memo that I need to wear more color so I can fit in with all of you in your incredible fashion!” 

The dress – the Dire Ruffle Hem Maxi Dress – features fine ribbing details and spaghetti straps, with a ruffle hem. It retails for $275 but appears to be sold out. 

The event saw 50 leading women from across Nigerian society and politics, business, media and culture, watch the Duchess take part in a panel with Dr. Okonjo-Iweala and media mogul Mo Abudu, who runs Africa’s first global black entertainment lifestyle network. 

“I am very overwhelmed. So I want to start by saying thank you very much for just how gracious you’ve all been in welcoming my husband and I to this country,” she said, before adding: “My country!”

© Getty

Meghan wore a black-and-white floral print earlier in the day

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were invited by the West African country’s chief of defense staff, who met Harry in Germany last September at the Invictus Games Dusseldorf. Their first stop saw them singing and dancing with local children, before Harry visited injured service personnel in hospital during the afternoon. 

On Saturday they attended a training session for Nigeria: Unconquered as well as a reception where military families were honoured. 

© Andrew Esiebo

She wowed crowds in a chic white power suit

Their final day will be Sunday, and the pair, who left their children Archie and Lilibet at home in Southern California, will attend a basketball clinic with Giants of Africa as well as a cultural reception. Their final engagement will see them attend a polo fundraiser for Nigeria: Unconquered, a charity organization working in collaboration with the Invictus Games Foundation. 

It is the pair’s first trip to the country, and it comes after Meghan revealed in 2023 that a genealogy test revealed she’s “43% Nigerian.” 

When asked about the discovery, Meghan said she called her mom immediately “because I wanted to know if she had any awareness of it”. 

The Duchess as a young girl with her mom

“I think, being African-American, part of it is really not knowing so much about your lineage or background, where you come from specifically, and it was exciting for both of us to discover more and understand what that really means,” she added.

During last year’s Invictus Games, Meghan spent a lot of time bonding with the Nigerian team, who gave her her own Nigerian name Amira Ngozi Lolo. The name holds a special royal meaning; “Amira” translates as warrior princess from a legend, “Ngozi” means blessed and “Lolo” symbolises royal wife.

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