Meghan Markle has said she is “deeply honoured” by her new Nigerian name and thanked the Yoruba king for welcoming her and Prince Harry in a personal letter.
The Duke, 39, and Duchess of Sussex, 42, embarked on a three-day quasi-royal tour of the country last month following an invitation from the Nigerian military.
During the trip, the couple, who were learning more about the Duchess’ Nigerian heritage, met the Yoruba king, Oluwo of Iwo.
The ruler bestowed upon the duchess, who recently discovered she was 43% Nigerian through a genealogical test, the Yoruba name Adetokunbo, which translates to “the crown or royalty of a foreign land.”
In late May, Meghan wrote to the leader to thank him for his hospitality and honor her with a Nigerian name.
Pictured: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive at the state Governor’s House in Lagos during their three-day visit to Nigeria.
The Yoruba king, who was the only Yoruba monarch invited to a reception with the Duke and Duchess, has now shared Meghan’s letter with his 174,000 Instagram followers.
The letter reads: ‘Thank you for your warm welcome to Nigeria.
‘I am deeply honored by your blessing of the traditional Yoruba name, Adetokunbo.
‘I appreciate the name and appreciate your trust in me to carry it with grace and dignity.
‘Our visit to Nigeria was important for many reasons, not least because it gave us the opportunity to explore and understand my heritage, which extends to our children.
“We hope to return home soon.”
During the visit, Meghan thanked Nigerians for welcoming her to “my country” and told a women in leadership summit that she hopes she can “do justice” to being a “role model.”
When asked how she felt after discovering she was 43% Nigerian through a genealogy test, Meghan said the first thing she did was “call my mom, because I wanted to know if she was aware of it.”
Pictured: Meghan Markle meeting Yoruba King, Oluwo of Iwo (right), during her quasi-royal tour of Nigeria.
Meghan Markle wrote this letter to the Yoruba king who honored her with a traditional Nigerian name during her trip
Meghan continued: ‘Being African American, part of that is not knowing much about your lineage or your background, where you come from specifically.
‘And it was exciting for both of us to find out more and understand what that really means. Never in a million years would I have understood it as much as I do now.
“It’s been really eye-opening and humbling to be able to learn more about my heritage and to be able to know that this is just the beginning of that discovery.”
Describing Nigerian women as “brave, resilient, fearless, powerful and beautiful”, Meghan said: “It’s the most flattering thing to be in that company, to be in your company.”
The visit was primarily to promote the Invictus Games and came after Harry met the Nigerian team and General Musa at last year’s competition in Dusseldorf, Germany.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle represent God Save The King in Abuja, Nigeria, during an event with Nigeria Unconquered
Prince Harry presents a medal after a charity polo match at the Ikoyi Polo Club in Lagos during the trip
The Nigerian military has touted the Invictus Games as one that could help the recovery of thousands of its personnel who have been fighting local Islamic extremists Boko Haram and its factions since 2009, when they launched an insurgency.
During the trip, the Sussexes announced a partnership between the Archewell Foundation and the Geanco Foundation, a charity in Nigeria that leads surgical missions, promotes maternal health and offers scholarships to young victims of terrorism.
Royal expert Michael Cole told MailOnline last month that although the couple were on “a private visit from two royal figures”, they “exploited their royal status to the limit and in every way, trying to give the impression that it was real “. ‘.
He said that although the Sussexes’ trip was “not a state visit, an official visit or a royal tour”, it appeared to be a “tour proposed by Buckingham Palace and sanctioned by the British government”.
He added that the couple “succeeded to such an extent that they will return to California very satisfied with their three days in Nigeria.”
Cole continued: ‘That’s the magic of monarchy. Nigeria gained independence from Britain in 1960 and became a republic three years later.
“But such is the historical connection with the Crown and affection for the Royal Family, that Africa’s most populous country opened its wide arms to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, with some people even addressing Meghan as ‘princess,'” which clearly pleased him.”
