Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stranded at airport after pilot fell sick before flight to Nigeria

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were left waiting at Heathrow Airport recently after their British Airways pilot fell sick just before jetting the pair off for their three-day visit to Nigeria.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have touched down in the West African nation for their quick tour, following Harry's recent trip to London to mark the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games.

Meghan did not join Harry at the service at St Paul's Cathedral and instead flew solo from their LA home base to Heathrow, where she was reunited with him in the airport's exclusive Windsor Suite.

They hopped on an overnight flight to Abuja, Nigeria's capital, but not without a bit of difficult start.

Their 11-hour journey was slightly delayed as the scheduled pilot fell ill and a last-minute replacement had to be found, reports the Express.

On their first joint trip to Nigeria, Harry and Meghan enjoyed the comforts of First Class on the Boeing 777, separated from the rest of the passengers by a curtain.

Landing in Nigeria at 5am, other passengers were reportedly held back so the Royal couple could be whisked off the plane. The pair were seen sharing smiles with the cabin crew as they disembarked.

Upon arrival at Abuja Nnamdi Azikiwe International, they were greeted by Nigerian officials and swiftly escorted through a side door onto the tarmac and into a waiting blacked-out minibus.

Harry and Meghan were seen arriving at the event with their usual security team, which has been with Harry throughout his recent trip to London.

This past week, Prince Harry returned to the UK for a special service at St Paul's Cathedral to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games. However, it was a solo journey for Harry, as Meghan stayed in California with their children.

Despite reported invitations from Harry, no members of the Royal Family attended the event on Wednesday.

Further distancing occurred when King Charles and Harry didn't get together during this week despite being just a few miles apart at one point, as Charles hosted a garden party at Buckingham Palace.

Earlier in the week, a spokesperson for Prince Harry confirmed there wouldn't be any father-son meetup, pointing out that the King had a "full programme" of his own.