Meghan Markle has shared details of a recent DNA test during her visit to Nigeria.
The Duchess of Sussex - alongside Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Director-General of the World Trade Organization - took part in a candid panel discussion during the second day of her visit to the African nation with Prince Harry.
On Saturday (May 11), around 50 prominent women representing various sectors of Nigerian society – including politics, business, media, and culture – convened for the session.
"I am just flattered and honored and inspired. It has been a whirlwind 24 hours since we arrived, and I very quickly got the memo that I need to wear more color, so I can fit in with all of you and your incredible fashion," Meghan remarked in her stunning red gown, per PEOPLE.
Addressing the crowd, she expressed gratitude, saying: "I am very overwhelmed. So I want to start by saying thank you very much for just how gracious you've all been in welcoming my husband and I to this country,” Meghan said, pausing briefly before adding: ”My country.”
The former Suits star then revealed that she has learned that she is 43% Nigerian after taking a genealogy test.
Sharing her reaction to the news, she asid: "Being African-American, part of it is really not knowing so much about your lineage or background, where you come from specifically.
“And it was exciting for both of us to discover more and understand what that really means.”
“Never in a million years would I have understood it as much as I do now," the 42-year-old continued. "It's been really eye-opening and humbling to be able to know more about my heritage and to be able to know this is just the beginning of that discovery.”
The conversation then veered towards the significance of representation in positions of influence.
"Representation matters tremendously," Meghan emphasized. "You need to see it to believe it. That starts when you're very young.
“I often find that whatever travels I've done, regardless if it's Nigeria or another country around the world, oftentimes when women reach the peak of success, they leave.
“But you need to come back home. You need to at least be a familiar face for the next generation to say, ‘Oh, she looks like me. And I can be that.’
“You still always want to come back home because that's how you're going to help shift any sort of generational pattern that might be stifling, especially for young girls who need to see someone who looks like them in that same position.”
Earlier during their visit, Harry and Meghan visited the Wuse Lightway Academy, a school supported by their Archewell Foundation. Harry, in a poignant speech about mental health, underscored the importance of acknowledging and addressing mental well-being.
“If I say mental health do you know what it means?” Harry asked, highlighting the ongoing stigma surrounding mental health issues.
“In some cases around the world, in more than you would believe, there is a stigma when it comes to mental health,” the Prince continued, per News.com.au. Too many people don’t want to talk about it because it’s invisible."
“It’s something that we are still relatively unsure of. But guess what? Every single person in this room, the youngest, the oldest, every single person has mental health.”
“So therefore, you have to look after yourself to be able to look after other people. And other people have to be able to look after themselves, to look after you. That’s the way it works. And there is no shame to be able to acknowledge that today is a bad day, okay?”
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