Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were pictured greeting Colombia’s vice president as the pair began their four-day quasi royal tour, which promises to “illuminate” the country’s “role as a beacon of culture and innovation”.
While this visit is being undertaken in the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s capacity as private citizens, it will have many of the hallmarks of a royal tour, including meetings with dignitaries and visits to local schools.
The royals are set to visit three cities, beginning in the capital of Bogotá, where they were welcomed by Francia Márquez, the first black woman to ever occupy the vice president’s office, this morning.
Meghan was pictured embracing the vice president, who invited the couple for the tour. The trio enjoyed tea, coffee and traditional cheese before exchanging gifts to mark the start of the visit.
Márquez said in a statement ahead of their arrival at 9 am Bogotá time: “They will have the exceptional opportunity to engage with leaders, youth, and women who embody the aspirations and voices of Colombians committed to progress.
“In addition to these meaningful interactions, the Duke and Duchess will experience the rich heritage of Colombia.”
The tour will also see the couple build upon their work with the Archewell Foundation, in particular, their attempts to combat the dangers young people may encounter on the internet.
They will discuss these dangers when they visit several Colombian schools alongside the importance of mental health awareness – having candidly spoken about their struggles in this area.
The couple will remain in the capital tomorrow and following the success of their trip to Nigeria earlier this year to mark the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, they will meet with the Colombian Invictus team.
This will undoubtedly be a particularly special meeting for the duke, as Colombia is the only country from Latin America participating in the games.
The event, founded by Harry in 2014, celebrates the sporting achievements of wounded, sick and injured service people.
As part of their ongoing work to combat racism, the duke and duchess will visit a former slave town, Palenque de San Basilio, on Saturday, also known as “a little corner of Africa”, which was founded in the 17th century by escaped slaves.
The town is located close to the second city the couple will visit on the tour, Cartagena, and is famed for its unique language and food that brings together various cuisines such as foods from Africa and the Caribbean.
On Sunday, the final day of the tour, Harry and Meghan will travel to Cali, where they will attend the Petronio Alvarez music festival, which celebrates Afro-Colombian music and Latin American culture.
The trip has been subject to some controversy within Colombia itself, with locals claiming that it is being used as a deliberate distraction from the country’s problems.
A prominent lawyer told the Daily Mail: “I’m sure Meghan and Harry mean well. But everyone here is talking about how obviously they are being manipulated.
“Of course, their star power will be used to bring attention to poor people and certain areas of culture in Colombia. But the reality is the Colombian government has been drowning in scandal since it came in two years ago. They need something to appease people at home and make them look good abroad.”
The visit has also been a source of controversy among after Harry recently said that the UK is too dangerous for Meghan to visit.
He told ITV’s Tabloids on Trial that he will not bring his wife to the UK because he fears “a knife or acid attack” inspired by negative tabloid stories.
Visitors to Colombia from the UK are advised not to travel to certain areas because of the high rates of crimes and kidnappings.
A representative for the Sussexes told The Independent that they will have full security on the trip, but it is not known whether this is being funded privately or by the Colombian government.