After welcoming the Nigerian team to their first participation in the event for disabled and wounded military veterans, Prince Harry injected humor into his seven-minute speech. He playfully suggested that the competition at their home might become more intense due to Meghan's newfound awareness of her Nigerian heritage.
Prince Harry quipped, "We're also very excited to have new nations join us. Let's hear it for Colombia, Israel, and Nigeria. Now, I'm not saying we play favorites in our home, but since my wife discovered that she's of Nigerian descent, it's likely to get a little bit more competitive this year."
With this remark, he seemed to imply that Meghan Markle might be supporting Team Nigeria rather than Team USA.
It's worth noting that Meghan had shared her revelation about being "43% Nigerian" on her "Archetypes" podcast in October. She mentioned that a genealogy investigation had led to this discovery, expressing her intention to delve deeper into her family history. However, Prince Harry's playful comment about Meghan's newfound connection to Nigeria didn't quite resonate with the audience at the Invictus Games. Surprisingly, his remark was met with a deafening silence, lacking the expected applause or cheers.
One can only speculate about Meghan's reaction to the audience's lack of enthusiasm, which might have ranged from surprise and disappointment to mild frustration. It's important to recognize that Meghan's claim of being "43% Nigerian" has faced skepticism. Genealogy test results have raised questions about the accuracy of this assertion, given her predominantly Caucasian heritage on her father's side and less than 100% African ancestry on her mother's side. Meghan's recent interest in her Nigerian roots is relatively recent, considering that she spent most of her life identifying differently.
Following Prince Harry's comment, the term "43% Nigerian" began trending online, with people mocking Meghan for what some perceived as a dubious claim. Some users expressed skepticism about her assertion, pointing out that with her parentage being 50% Caucasian and 50% African-American, it's highly unlikely that she could be "43% Nigerian" on her own. Others criticized Prince Harry for bringing up the topic publicly.
Prince Harry's playful remark about Meghan's heritage stirred controversy and discussion online, with some questioning the authenticity of Meghan's claim and others chiding Prince Harry for his comment.
