‘Catherine who?’ ask Duchess’s devotees when asked about the Princess of Wales
THE ‘Sussex Squad’ – superfans of Harry and Meghan – are usually invisible, voicing their support only online.
But yesterday they found vivid expression in a group of women wearing identical black and yellow dresses, who turned out to greet the former royal couple on the second day of their visit to Nigeria.
They declared themselves the Abuja branch of the squad and seemed much buoyed by the meghan Markle’s declaration that she is 43 per cent Nigerian. Indeed some waved placards saying simply ‘43 per cent Nigeria’ and, because of his marriage to one of their own, another banner said: ‘Harry you owe us dowry’.
Occasionally embroiled in controversy, some members of the Sussex Squad have been known to launch online attacks on those who criticise the California-based couple. Actress Victoria Arbiter, for instance, daughter of Dickie Arbiter, the late Queen Elizabeth’s former press secretary, was branded ‘Nazi Barbie’ for her comments on the Sussexes’ Oprah Winfrey interview.
The Abuja branch, however, insist they would never stoop so low. Still, when asked about her thoughts on Catherine, Princess of Wales, one of them, civil servant Lizi Ben-Iheanacho, 59, says: ‘Catherine who?’ Laughing, she adds: ‘That’s what I think about her.’
Her friend, Akhigbe Tolulope, 32, has followed Meghan’s life and career since 2009. Like many in Nigeria, she was a fan of the TV drama Suits in which Meghan starred.
She said: ‘We knew of her long before she got involved with Harry. Suits was much more popular here than in England. Meghan’s fantastic, so beautiful and stylish. I named my one-year-old daughter Meghan in her honour.’
Yesterday the duchess posed for selfies with some of the squad. One said: ‘I was holding a copy of Harry’s book [Spare] and wanted her to sign it but I was so overwhelmed that I forgot to ask.’