Meghan Markle's Decision To Avoid UK Visit Slammed As 'Odd' As She And Prince Harry Tour Nigeria

Meghan Markle opted to stay home in the U.S. with her children while her husband, Prince Harry, jetted off to the UK for the 10th anniversary celebration of the Invictus Games.

Former Royal aide, Grand Harrold, has now slammed her decision as "odd," wondering why she'd prefer to stay back instead of supporting Harry for the event, which he noted remains "a big part" of the Duke's life.

Despite her absence from the UK, Harry and Meghan traveled to Nigeria together on Thursday, where they will participate in the country's cultural activities.

Royal Aide Slams Meghan Markle For Her 'Odd' Decision

In the aftermath of Harry's lone trip to the UK for the 10th-anniversary celebration of the Invictus Games, former royal aide Grand Harrold has criticized Meghan for staying home in the U.S. rather than joining the Duke on the trip.

According to the New York Post, Harrold, who worked for King Charles for seven years when he was the Prince of Wales, explained that Meghan's choice was quite puzzling to him but acknowledged that there "must be a reason" for her absence.

"Meghan seems to spend a lot of time in LA at home, she doesn't tend to come over to the UK that much," Harrold told the news outlet.

He continued, "I would have thought she would have wanted to come over and support Harry because the Invictus Games is a big part of his life, but it does seem odd."

Harrold explained that he wasn't quite sure if the former "Suits" actress' absence was because of "what's happened" or because she's "family orientated," but there must be an explanation.

"It does seem odd as to why she didn't — I can only assume she wanted to stay home with the family, as that's a big part of what she does," Harrold added.

Prince Harry Didn't Stay In A Royal Residence

The Duke of Sussex arrived in the UK on Tuesday for the celebration but was forced to check into a hotel, just like he did when he made a frantic dash to see King Charles in February.

Harry and Meghan quit their Royal roles in 2020 and were evicted from their Frogmore Cottage residence in June last year, leaving them with no official UK residence.

According to the NYP, Harrold noted that the situation shows how badly things have gotten between the Sussexes and the royal family.

"I think that just shows the state of the relationship between Harry and the family," he explained. "Obviously, Harry did have apartments at Clarence House. Clarence House is a huge property — it just goes to show the divisions between him and the family."

"If you come to the UK and you have family here, you would probably stay with them, wouldn't you? I think it's a very clear signal that the relationship between Harry and his family has deteriorated," Harrold said, adding that the situation is "sad."

Prince Harry Didn't Meet King Charles During His Visit

Despite Harry's close proximity to his estranged father on the trip, the pair still didn't meet.

King Charles hosted about 8,000 guests to a garden party at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday as Harry's reading for the Invictus Games celebration was going on some three miles away at St Paul's Cathedral.

Harry and Charles had been tipped to reunite at around 6 p.m. when both events were scheduled to close, but Harry's aide told the NYP that they couldn't meet because of Charles' "full" schedule.

"The duke, of course, is understanding of his father's diary of commitments and various other priorities and hopes to see him soon," the rep added.

Prince Harry And Meghan Markle's Trip To Nigeria

Harry and Meghan's visit to Nigeria started well. After arriving in the country, the royal couple was greeted with a warm reception.

Their first stop was the Lightway Academy, a school in Abuja, the country's capital. Harry and Meghan both gave a heartwarming speech at the school's inaugural mental health summit, which the GEANCO Foundation organized.

Students at the school gave a short dance presentation for the Duke and Duchess that incorporated elements of popular Nigerian dance moves as the school director, Joyce Agbese, greeted the royal couple.

Following their short speech, Harry and Meghan had a sweet moment as she gushed, "You see why I'm married to him? It's so inspiring because he speaks the truth."

The Couple Were Invited To The Country By Its Chief Of Defence Staff

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were invited by the West African country's Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, to participate in its "cultural activities" after they met last September at the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf, Germany.

The trip, which has been touted as an unofficial royal visit, reportedly left the Nigerian Defense Headquarters feeling "honored" and "delighted."

According to a report, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, the Acting Director of Defence Information, subsequently published a letter in which he noted that the couple's visit would "consolidate Nigeria's stronghold" of the Invictus Games and the "possibility of hosting the event [in] later years."