Meghan Markle Admits She Is ‘Missing My Babies’ Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet on Mother’s Day in Nigeria

The Duchess of Sussex spoke about her kids during one of the last stops in Nigeria

Life as a royal can often mean being away from family, and Meghan Markle recently shared a heartfelt moment about missing her children during a special visit to Nigeria.

During her visit to Nigeria with Prince Harry, the Duchess of Sussex, 42, expressed her sentiments about being away from her young children, Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 2, especially on Mother’s Day. The emotional admission came during a speech at the State Governor House in Lagos, Nigeria, during the penultimate stop on her trip.

“I am very, very grateful, I am very humbled, and today is Mother’s Day,” Meghan said with a smile in a video shared to TikTok by Arochukwu Network.

“So it feels appropriate, but though of course we are missing our children, I’m missing my babies, but it feels very appropriate to be in the motherland and amongst family,” she continued, referring to her young son and daughter and her Nigerian heritage. “So thank you so much for the kindness and for these beautiful names. I’m very grateful and we can’t wait to come back.”

Meghan’s heartfelt words were met with applause, and she then handed the microphone to Prince Harry. In his address, Harry expressed their gratitude for the warm reception. “I’ll skip the protocol because at this point we’re all family. Firstly, thank you for welcoming my wife and myself to Nigeria. It’s our first visit, certainly won’t be our last,” the Duke of Sussex said to cheers from the gathered audience.

Meghan and Harry’s three-day visit to Nigeria was packed with engagements, and Meghan made a touching fashion choice for the event at the State Governor House in Lagos. She wore a special yellow Carolina Herrera dress, one she had previously worn while pregnant with Prince Archie and later for his first birthday in 2020, as well as for the announcement of her pregnancy with Lili in 2021.

The reception on May 12, attended by PEOPLE, was hosted by Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, alongside Nigeria’s Chief of Defense Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa OFR. Meghan also sported a green striped shawl gifted by the governor’s wife, adding a local touch to her attire.

While the children did not accompany them on the trip, Meghan spoke about Archie and Lili several times. During their visit to Lightway Academy in Abuja on May 10, Meghan fondly mentioned that Lili’s favorite school activity was “singing and dancing,” while Archie showed an interest in construction, as the children displayed their robotic projects in a STEM class.

On May 11, during a panel discussion on Women in Leadership co-hosted with Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization, Meghan openly shared her thoughts on motherhood. “I love being a mom, I love being a mom,” she repeated, discussing the evolving nature of finding balance in life.

“What I think that to mean now is that balance will always change for you. What seemed balanced 10 years ago is going to shift. And so being a mom has always been a dream of mine. And I’m so fortunate that we have two beautiful, healthy, very chatty sweet children,” she affectionately said of Archie and Lilibet.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex also focused on mental health awareness during their visit and promoted Prince Harry’s Invictus Games. The couple’s trip concluded on May 12, with PEOPLE’s chief foreign correspondent Simon Perry documenting the events.

Nigeria participated in the Invictus Games for the first time in September 2023, and Meghan and Harry took the opportunity to meet with military families and the charity Nigeria: Unconquered. Harry even made a solo visit to a military hospital, further emphasizing their commitment to supporting veterans.

Meghan’s visit to Nigeria also held a personal significance. In 2022, she discovered through a genealogy test that she is 43% Nigerian. This revelation deepened her connection to the country, a sentiment she shared with schoolchildren at the GEANCO Foundation’s inaugural mental health summit, saying, “I see myself in all of you.”