What a Difference an HRH Makes

Harry and Meghan's exact copy of a royal tour was missing the essential component.

Meghan and Harry’s three-day tour of Nigeria provided all I anticipated and more in terms of royal-watching drama. Before the couple headed to Africa, I wondered just how much they would try to make it into a “faux royal tour,” and the answer is, they made it as royal as they possibly could.

Generally, the couple’s visit was not focused on Invictus-related events or planning, rather it featured a wide range of engagements highlighting the panoply of their varied charitable interests, from Meghan’s appearance on a panel discussing women in leadership to a school visit highlighting mental health to a charity polo match. Amping up the theme with explicit royal touches, the trip included a military salute and review for Harry, a reception at the State Governor House, and glitzy evening reception that saw the couple standing at attention while “God Save the King” boomed through the room. As I say, I expected this tour to feel very much like a royal one, but I did not expect it to straight up be a royal tour untethered from any relationship to the monarchy.