The private trip to Nigeria by Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex has reportedly left King Charles "furious". Photo / Getty Images
The private trip to Nigeria by Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex has reportedly left King Charles "furious". Photo / Getty Images
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have just completed their tour of Nigeria, which has reportedly left King Charles “absolutely furious”.
Royal author Tom Quinn spoke to The Mirror and revealed that while the 72-hour unofficial visit was not a royal tour, it was a “bold statement” and had seemingly “confirmed the worst fears” of Charles and future King, Prince William.
“Everything you might expect from an official royal visit was there – the receptions, the visits to schools and charities, to wounded soldiers and the disabled,” he said.
Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, holding hands upon arrival at the government house in Lagos, Nigeria on Sunday. Photo / AP
“Meghan and Harry’s speeches and their whole attitude has been designed to give the impression that they are still fully paid-up royals and William and his father King Charles don’t like it one bit,” the author alleged.
Quinn claimed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex - who resigned from royal duties in 2020 - have “gone rogue”.
“For Charles and William, it’s as if Meghan and Harry are saying, ‘we don’t need your permission to be working royals – we will do it on our own terms whenever and wherever we like’,” Quinn told the UK news outlet.
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex arrive at Lagos airport for an official state welcome this week. Photo / Getty Images
Despite the royal author’s claims, MailOnline has confirmed through sources in the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office that the UK Government (and thus the royal family) were “not involved” in the trip and that the couple were “visiting Nigeria in a private capacity”.
The tour has caused a slew of controversy, many royal experts claiming the couple “exploited” their royal status.
Expert Michael Cole spoke to the Daily Mail, claiming while the Sussex’s visit was not a state visit or official tour, it “exploited their royal status to the very limit and in every way, trying to give the impression that it was the real thing”.
He continued to say Harry and Meghan “succeeded to such an extent that they will return to California well satisfied with their three days in Nigeria”.
The couple appeared to look uncomfortable during a dinner in which the British national anthem was sung. Photo / Getty Images
It comes after a video of the couple standing uncomfortably still as the British national anthem, God Save the King, was played during a dinner in Nigeria.
While military personnel could be seen performing salutes as the anthem concluded, the former working royals remained expressionless, some social media users claiming the pair looked “awkward”.
Harry and Meghan have remained estranged from the royal family since resigning from duties in 2020.
While Harry visited his father in February after hearing of King Charles’ cancer diagnosis, he did not meet with his father during his trip to London last week during the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, because of the monarch’s full schedule.
