Medellin, Colombia – Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, visited Colombia for the first time last week, after being invited by Vice President and Minister for Equality Francia Márquez Mina.
As signaled by the President’s office, the agenda of the royal visit included meetings and cultural, social and academic events to address issues such as cyberbullying, digital violence and discrimination.
According to Márquez Mina, “cyberbullying and digital violence puts everyone’s mental health at risk. This alliance will help us advance in protecting and guaranteeing the rights of children and adolescents. Furthermore, it also aims to encourage women’s leadership in Colombia and in the world.”
From August 15 to 18, Harry and Meghan visited Bogota, Cartagena and Colombia’s third largest city, Cali. In the capital, they participated in a forum on developing strategies for creating safe digital spaces, in addition to visiting a school in Bogotá where they interacted with students about the effects of digital media on society.
In Cartagena, the couple toured the city’s historic center, after which they headed to San Basilio de Palenque, a city known as the “first free city of South America” after it was founded by escaped slaves in the 18th century -s, as reported by the Colombians. news magazine Semana.
Finally, Meghan and Harry went to Cali to attend the Petronio Álvarez music festival, which celebrates Afro-Colombian music, according to the Colombian government radio station.
“Thank you so much to Harry and Meghan for honoring our city and our Pacific culture. Cali is for reconciliation and for all. Welcome!” Cali Mayor Alejandro Eder declared through X.
The visit comes ahead of the first World Ministerial Conference on the Elimination of Violence Against Children, which will take place in Colombia in November.
“Thank you for your warm welcome, for your beautiful culture and for your incredible hospitality,” Prince Harry told festivalgoers in Cali, with Meghan translating.
Meghan and Harry’s semi-royal visit
Harry and Meghan separated from the British crown in 2020 and are no longer working royals, nor can they be addressed as His or Her Royal Highness (HRH). Harry was also stripped of his military titles, although both remain Duke and Duchess of Sussex, with the Prince fifth in line to the throne, according to the BBC.
Regardless, they have continued to travel the world, including a visit to Nigeria earlier this year, according to the entity. Mainly, these visits are aimed at promoting their charity work.
The pair have been open about their concerns about the intrusion of the press into their lives and the threats they have received online, according to the BBC.
“As long as people are allowed to spread lies, abuse, harassment – then social cohesion as we know it is completely broken,” Harry said, as reported by the BBC.
Harry has also been vocally critical of those who were removed from their security details after stepping down as members of the royal family, claiming he and Meghan still face significant security threats.
Because of this, the couple’s visit to Colombia sparked controversy in the United Kingdom. The Daily Mail’s Sarah Vine pointed out that “Colombia remains one of the most dangerous places in the world”, although it is the perfect choice for a couple in need of reinvention.
Similarly, renowned journalist Piers Morgan signaled “the ridiculous hypocrisy of them going to one of the most dangerous places in the world… after all Harry’s outrageous demands for taxpayer-funded royal security”.
However, as El País newspaper notes, Colombia has also been a recent travel destination for Letizia, Queen of Spain, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh and Máxima, Queen of the Netherlands. King Charles and Queen Camilla visited the country in 2014.
As signaled by the publication, some fear that Harry and Meghan’s latest international presence is an independent foreign policy exercise, with no oversight from the UK government.
