Meghan Markle has revealed her daughter Princess Lilibet loves to dance as she joined a group of schoolchildren for a boogie today.
The Duchess of Sussex, 42, spoke to students at the Wuse Lightway Academy in Abuja about her two-year-old daughter who has developed a natural rhythm as she and Prince Harry joined them for Jump Up, Turn Around.
The BBC reported that while talking to the students, Meghan said Lilibet’s favorite class is dancing, adding, “Maybe it’s the jumping around.”
She also spoke to the students about an upcoming exhibition of robot cars – to which the Duchess suggested she wanted to come back to see them.
The sweet moments came as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex today embarked on their unofficial ‘royal’ tour of Nigeria, which will last three days.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex took part in a Jump Up, Turn Around dance as they joined children at the Wuse Lightway Academy
As the Duke and Duchess danced with the children, Meghan performed a perfect turn, while Harry’s dance moves looked a little less refined and he made an awkward face as he looked like he was struggling to keep up.
At one point, Meghan burst out laughing and placed a supportive hand on Harry’s arm as the children bopped and sang along with joy.
Elsewhere during the school visit, Meghan and Harry each addressed the students in a speech.
The couple spoke about mental health at the school which was supported by their Archewell Foundation, with Meghan encouraging them to ‘just be honest with each other’.
While chatting with the students, Meghan revealed that her daughter Lilibet’s favorite class is dancing and joked that it was probably because of “all that jumping around.”
Harry also said: ‘If you see that your friend in your class is not smiling, what are you going to do? Are you going to check them? Are you going to ask them if they are okay? Because it’s okay not to be okay.” Handing the microphone to Meghan, she added: “See why I married him? He’s so smart. And so inspiring because he speaks the truth.’
Meghan – who wore a long Heidi Merrick ‘Windsor’ dress worth an estimated £450 – told the students: ‘When I look around this room, I see myself in all of you too. So it is a great honor to have our first visit to Nigeria, here with all of you.
“We believe in all of you, we believe in your future, we believe in your ability to continue to tell your stories and just be honest with each other. There is no need to suffer in silence. Just make sure you take good care of yourself.’
Meghan also praised James Holt, the executive director of the Archewell Foundation who accompanied them on the trip, for his work – adding that his “birthday is today”.
Meghan takes a selfie with students as Harry watches the Wuse Lightway Academy today
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive at the Wuse Lightway Academy in Abuja this morning
Harry and Meghan clap today as they meet children at the Wuse Lightway Academy in Abuja
Harry and Meghan are taking part in games today at the Wuse Lightway Academy in Abuja
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are today welcomed to the Wuse Lightway Academy in Abuja
Meghan Markle waves as she and Harry visit the Wuse Lightway Academy in Abuja today
Harry gave his own speech on mental health, recalling his suffering following the death of his mother, Princess Diana, when he referred to people who have “lost a loved one in your family and you don’t know who to turn to or who to talk to”.
The duke – who was 12 and his brother William 15 when Diana died in Paris in 1997 – added that there was ‘no shame in being able to acknowledge that today is a bad day’.
He also told the children: ‘You can have it, she (Meghan) can have it, I can have it. They can have it. It is likely that each of us will have it on some day.”
The Duke asked a child how old they were, and when they said they were five, he replied: ‘You’re five? Our son Archie is five.’ Meghan added: “That’s right, he turned five.” She also said that Lilibet loved to dance, adding, “Maybe it’s the jumping around.”
The Sussexes were greeted by a dance troupe and a crowd of excited students and teachers. Student Nnenna Okorie said of Meghan: ‘She is the most beautiful person ever. I admire her so much, and then Harry. I love that he is so supportive.”
The couple arrived together in Abuja just before 5am after a secret reunion at Heathrow’s VIP Windsor Suite yesterday after the Duchess arrived from Los Angeles.
They boarded the British Airways night flight to Abuja, which was slightly delayed after the scheduled pilot fell ill and a replacement had to be arranged.
The Sussexes, who were visiting Nigeria together for the first time, sat in the first class section of the Boeing 777 and were separated from other passengers by a curtain.
Meghan revealed on her Spotify podcast Archetypes in 2022 that she found out she is of Nigerian descent, describing herself as “43 percent Nigerian.”
And yesterday Harry said it was ‘great’ to be back in Britain this week to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games. The Duke had been in London since Tuesday to attend events related to the match, including a thanksgiving service.