People Magazine’s royal editor Simon Perry was one of the few journalists/writers traveling with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex during their Nigerian tour. People ran more than a dozen exclusives about the trip, Perry took exclusive photos and videos of their events, and now People has exclusive comments and gossip in this week’s cover story. All in all, it was money well spent for People Magazine, to send Perry to Nigeria for three days. You can read the full cover story excerpt here. Some highlights:
Harry on the importance of the Nigeria trip: “These trips are about us being able to go out and go and focus on the things that mean so much to us. And being able to be on the ground, to us, is what it’s all about.” The Duchess of Sussex adds, “It’s really meaningful. Just being able to connect to people…that’s what makes it special.”
It wasn’t a royal tour: The scene had all the makings of a royal tour — except this time the couple were visiting not as “working royals,” but on their own terms. Still, the similarities to their 2019 African tour were hard to miss. Addressing a group of teens in South Africa in 2019, Meghan shared, “I am here… as your sister,” and carried the same sentiment in Nigeria.
Meghan on the importance of representation & inspiration: “I always reflect back on myself as a young girl and the type of inspiration that I wanted to see in other women. I hope in some small way I can be a part of that for a lot of these young girls especially,” Meghan tells PEOPLE. “I saw myself in them. I see the potential in all of these young girls — and, by the way, in these young boys as well.” Referring to son Prince Archie, 5, and daughter Princess Lilibet, who turns 3 in June, she adds, “It’s what we see in our own children — to give them that promise and excitement for their futures.”
LMAO: Those close to the couple say that the Nigeria tour was not an attempt to highlight any perceived gaps in the royal family’s workload, which is currently affected not only by Harry and Meghan’s absence but also King Charles’ and Kate Middleton’s cancer treatments.
Harry loves Africa: For his part, Harry says, “You know what Africa means to me over the years. It is a very, very special place, and to be able to include Nigeria now [in the Invictus Games], I’m very happy.”
Harry’s solo visit to wounded warriors: At the hospital, he knelt by soldiers’ bedsides in a gesture reminiscent of the late Princess Diana, listening intently as they shared their stories. “Be strong,” he told them, noting the “transformative power” of sports. “That experience of knowing what life, post-injury, is like gives people so much hope. And hope, hope, hope is a huge part of this,” Prince Harry tells PEOPLE.
The Sussexes are in a great place: “We’re just doing great. And happy to be watching our family grow up and evolve. Of course, I’m happy. We’re really happy,” Meghan tells PEOPLE.
I’m laughing so hard at this: “Those close to the couple say that the Nigeria tour was not an attempt to highlight any perceived gaps in the royal family’s workload.” I believe it too – Harry and Meghan were not “attempting to highlight” anything to do with the left-behinds. The Sussexes’ mere existence and their consistent good works always highlight the vast difference though. I love that People Magazine is presenting the tour as purely positive. That too draws a stark comparison with how the British media has handled the Nigerian tour. The British media and the Windsors are still throwing enormous tantrums about all of it.
Cover courtesy of People, additional photos courtesy of Getty.
They’ve never tried to outshine the BRF. They were both doing humanitarian work before they met and mutually raised one another’s profile. They’re American philanthropists now. It’s possible to write about their work and not even mention the BRF.
Jam jars outshine the royal family. The only “shine” comes from a human manniken, Kate. I call her a human manniken because that’s all they have ever asked of her, all they want her to be, all she is content to be. Ask anyone about her, and all they can talk about is her clothes. By the way, where is she, anyway?
Jam jars and a mannequin no one has seen in six months. 🤣
What a successful trip. I wish the article had been more clear about how the Sussexes were invited primarily bc of the IG. And how Archwell was also partnered with some of these organizations. That said, the coverage was so extensive that I’m sure it can found in the other articles. But I’d have liked it to be more clear at the beginning in the print edition.
It was a beautiful successful trip ❤ I watched it all weekend, and now I want to go to Nigeria soon, soon, soon 😍😍
The cover story did include it. “The couple traveled at the invitation of Nigeria’s chief of defense staff, General Christopher Musa, and much of of the itinerary highlighted the Invictus Games.”
They also included something about Harry and Charles not meeting in London with the Sussex’s statement about Charles schedule and other priorities.
I find it hilarious that in the aftermath of this tour, you have British media pundits showing their racism for the commonwealth to see and they wonder why those countries are leaving, lol. Sometimes I wonder if the press truly want that family and are secretly trying to make Britain a republic. It’s also hysterical that some journalists aren’t hiding and playing the palace game anymore. They’re begging Harry and Meghan to come back and bring their stardust because they’re that bored. They’re seeing they lost in this situation.
There’s a video making the rounds where Tom Bower is saying that Charles hated going to Africa because he didn’t like the culture 😒😒
Bower forgets that Africa is not a country. Was it Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Cameroon? Never mind.
Bowers was specific. He said Charles does not like going to BLACK Commonwealth countries. (The culture line was about Africa specifically)
So note he dislikes over a third of the Commonwealth. Good to know. I’m sure the Caribbeans took note.
Actually, Kenya does not have much that would interest Charles. You basically travel there for wildlife. Charles probably would have found West and southern africa more to his liking because of the visual and performing art traditions, not to mention archeology history. Much of which is shown in the British museum.
Of course the racist rota does not know the difference and hence Bower’s stupid statements.
The RF totally missed the chance to have the pale folks run the salt island side of the show and let Harry and Meghan do the commonwealth tours. Fools.
Also, they totally ran that ridiculous embiggening William cover last week to preempt the tantrums in Kensington Palace over this one. Buckingham Palace undoubtedly annoyed by both, but People DGAF about C-Rex and NotDiana.
“NotDiana”
I. Am. Deceased.💀😆
Can you imagine? That’s thinking strategically though. The BRF does backstabbing not strategy.
People say stuff like this, but why would we want that? Why would we want to keep a status quo of inequality going? Royalty is an outdated concept that needs to go. Period.
Love these quotes. They’re making it very clear that this isn’t about trying to one up the working royals, but is just about getting out there, seeing what needs to be done, meeting people who are benefiting from their programs, genuinely connecting with people, etc. And of course by doing that they ARE one upping the royal family, lol.
100% because the remaining royals do NOTHING except have daily aneurysms over Meghan and Harry.
I hope H&M have a nice long flop when they get home, because being that “ON”, even for natural extroverts like them, must be exhausting AF.
Clearly the British media is right. The Sussexes are deeply unpopular in America /s
@Kristen820 – WHAT??????
@bay she’s being sarcastic lol. That’s what the “/s” indicates at the end of her comment.
People Magazine always tries to be on the good side of the BRF, but this was a good article. I didn’t see any shade, just straight reporting. It would be better if there was no mention of that family.
What’s funny is that the royals prob need People mag enough that the mag shouldn’t have to completely suck up to them.
Probably some brits are working there. Former tabloid writers are getting jobs in USA all the time. American magazines, media companies usually give royal reporting jobs to brits since it is BRF and they are supposed to be the expert. However, they don’t realize, if a british reporter says anything against BRF, they are gonna get isolated. They need to hold the same scripts as the tabloids if they want access and other perks.
Is People still publishing that quarterly Royals magazine? I haven’t seen anything past Philip’s death.
What a wonderful tour for the Invictus games. If it looked like they were filling a gap for all the missing leftovers it’s only in their unhinged minds but maybe they should be trying to find their missing leftovers. Harry and Meg are private citizens and they can do their work wherever they want or are needed.
I’m still on a Sussex high after the events of the past week that include the miserable loser pity party of tantrumy backstabbers at the palaces.
So this is the first time in several years that I will actually look at a People mag.
Simi Jolaoso at the BBC, who also did a great job reporting on the Sussexes, together with her team, is getting a lot of flack from Derangedeers, Tories, and the trashy BM.
I stopped buying People long ago but I will buy this issue just to show one more sale.
I do think the royals and the smarter ratchets are embarrassed. They know they are wrong, but they blame Harry and Meghan: “how dare you make me show my racism to the world. It’s your fault that I’m embarrassed.”
That’s what I read into Chuck wanting to “ban” them from the commonwealth as if he’s still king of an empire. He wants to keep his racism hidden behind his military cosplay and blood diamonds. My 1 year old soon-to-be-son thinks he disappears when he covers his eyes. The royals have the emotional maturity of a toddler.
lanne, I love the reference to your soon-to-be-son! So much fun lies ahead for you!
People Magazine has been carrying water for the Left-Behinds for years. This is the first issue I’ll buy after all these years of their brown-nosed coverage of the Windsors.
Same, Beverley. It’s been at least a decade since I bought a copy, but I’m going to this week. I have a sneaking suspicion they’re going to see a significant spike in checkout line purchases for this issue. If so, I hazard that People will switch allegiances….There are many ways to “vote” with one’s wallet. Team Princess Meghan, Ada Mazi!
The piece was fine. People held the middle of the road and KP shouldn’t be upset about it.
It’s just the nature of stars, they shine. If their shine threatens the light of others… those others ain’t no stars. Sorry. Continue to shine bright H&M and never dim your light for anybody.
Many of the British media intentionally leave out and American media forgets too is how important Africa was for Harry during his formative years. In his Netflix documentary there’s footage of him since he was a teen there carrying little kids on his arms and joking with them. He reconnected with an African Prince that used to work with Diana in charities and that guy became one of his mentors. He even said some people in Africa helped to raised him. There’s footage of him living and spending time with them for periods of time. Africa is not a PR stunt for him or a continent he decided to visit on a whim.
These people act like Harry and Meghan set up trampolines and basketball nets outside BP and KP and engaged in a dunk contest.
This is completely tangential and superficial, but: I just want to take a moment to point out and appreciate how beautiful and elegant the two couples are in the Chief of Defense staff photo with M&H. Gorgeous! I love the dresses and the men’s suits. (Does that style of menswear have a specific name? Would love to learn more, thank you in advance to anyone who can share expertise)
Still have to refer to the Left-Behinds with that “dashed hopes for a reunion” comment on the cover. The only hopes that were dashed belonged to the press. People, to me anyway, always wants to leave the impression that Harry and Meghan are pining away for the UK and the royals. They will never acknowledge the depths of the pain the Sussexes suffered at the hands of those people, especially Meghan.
Exactly. And that is why I cannot stand People Mag, blocked them on Twitter and never ever click on any of their articles. They keep showing themselves. And the one who went – Simon Perry – is one of the worst KP sycophants around.
It was a great tour. Not only were they able to focus on the Invictus Games and wounded veterans but they also visited schools that they had been helping for awhile. There were so many heartwarming and fun clips throughout this whole tour and the respect and support was mutual. They always do a phenomenal job on tours and I feel like this one was their best one, by far. The Nigerian Squaddies being able to give and participate in their own way was almost like a reward for them being such great supporters of Harry, Meghan, veterans, Invictus Games and children’s causes.
I still can’t get over how gorgeous Meghan looked in that sunny yellow dress and the striped traditional cloth.
I’m so glad the Sussexes are sharing their joy with others.
I love that after all the whining about how Meghan is just a social climber and how dare she sell jam, the Sussexes go out and do this – and the media are still pissed! D*e mad about it!
Dr. Ngozi, director of the WTO, said that Meghan told her aboit this trip months ago. A trip with these many stops that also includes meetings with governors, defense staff, and literal royalty, obviously took a lot of planning on the part of Archewell so the idea that they did it to highlight that welfare royals aren’t doing anything is ridiculous. Planning for this definitely started well before Ka announced her diagnosis; that said it is a problem for the monarchy that H&M have made more trips to Commonwealth countries this year than either the King or his heir have since he ascended the throne. Charles and William are giving the impression that they don’t care about visiting the Commonwealth and it’s a huge issue that not only do these countries not care but some of them have enthusiastically invited the Spare, who Charles has gone to great pains to remind everyone does not represent the monarchy, to their countries.