Meghan Markle and Prince Harry beam as they hold hands on second day of Nigeria tour

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were all smiles as they attended a volleyball event during their tour of Nigeria. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were seen at the match, part of their whirlwind 72-hour visit to the country, where they warmly greeted onlookers and graciously accepted gifts.

The Royal couple made their appearance at an exhibition sitting volleyball match hosted by Nigeria Unconquered, a local charity that aids wounded, injured or sick servicemembers, in Abuja. This forms part of their Nigerian tour, which is in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games.

Their invitation to Nigeria was extended by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, who had previously met Prince Harry at the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf, Germany last September. The invite followed Meghan's discovery of her Nigerian roots.

Meghan looked stunning in a black and white printed dress, while Prince Harry was smartly dressed in trousers and an Invictus Games polo shirt. The pair radiated happiness as they strolled hand-in-hand, with Meghan stylishly accessorising with sunglasses and holding onto her dress.

Further photos showed Meghan engaging with bystanders, even crouching down to converse with children who appeared delighted and starstruck to meet the Duchess, reports the Mirror.

In a heartwarming moment captured during their tour, Meghan Markle was photographed admiring a hand-drawn and painted picture, her face lit up with a radiant smile as she knelt down to appreciate the artwork amidst an audience of onlookers.

Another touching photograph from the second day showcased Meghan embracing a young child who presented her with red roses. The Duchess appeared genuinely moved by the child's gesture, while the little girl seemed thrilled at the opportunity to offer flowers to Meghan.

These tender interactions followed Prince Harry's poignant address on mental health delivered at a school visit last Friday. Addressing the students and attendees, Harry highlighted: "In some places around the world, more than you would believe, there is a stigma against mental health. Too many people don't want to talk about it because it's invisible, it's in your mind and we can't see it."

He continued, stressing the importance of openness about mental health struggles: "There is no shame to be able to acknowledge that today is a bad day. Okay? If you woke up this morning feeling sad, if you left school feeling stressed, if you've lost a loved one in your family who you usually turn to or speak to, all of these things you may be led to believe are not for conversation."

Harry concluded with a message of support and normalisation of mental health issues: "We are here today to tell you that that is not the case. Every single one of those things is completely normal. It is a human reaction, whether it's grief, stress, whatever the feeling is, it comes from experiences you have had."

Lynn Carratt from Press Box PR revealed to The Mirror that the couple would likely be aiming to "generate some positive stories" during their visit, keeping their security as a top priority. She said, "Nigeria is a country where Meghan and Harry are celebrated, and they'll want to generate some positive stories for the visit. I'm sure as they are with any overseas trip to any country, security will be [at] the forefront of their mind and will be meticulously planned."

Harry's return to Africa follows his own recent solo journey from America back to the UK for an Invictus Games service of thanks on 8 May in London. His aunt and uncle were there to lend him support as he delivered a speech during his fleeting visit - a time when his father was reported to have been "too busy" to schedule a meet-up.

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