That Meghan Markle We knew that he spoke Spanish well before the wedding, when he talked about his time working at the US Embassy in Buenos Aires. But only this weekend, during his four-day tour of Colombia with the Prince Harrythe public has seen those skills in action. On Sunday, at a panel discussion in Cali, the country’s third-largest city, Meghan delivered a speech in Spanish at an event aimed at inspiring the nation’s Afro-Caribbean women.
“Because we are in your country, my husband and I can feel the embrace of Colombia: it’s incredible,” she said. “The culture, the history… all of this has been a dream, this trip has been a dream. I can feel this community and that’s the best feeling right now.” Later that day, she even acted as Harry’s interpreter as the two spoke to concertgoers at the Petronio Alvarez Pacific Music Festival.
The Duchess mingled amiably with a group of locals in a country other royals wouldn’t be allowed to visit (at least not in an official capacity), and now that she and Harry have set up residence in Santa Barbara, the scenes were a reminder of what the Windsors miss. Still, it’s hard to shake images of their time representing Queen Elizabeth II, which may be why their recent international travels (including a February trip to Whistler, Canada, and a tour of Nigeria in May) have felt so familiar.
These recent trips have been made at the invitation of government officials, but, as the British media are quick to point out, These are not “official tours by members of the royal family”. While there is no clear definition of an “official tour,” it generally refers to the fact that when reigning royals travel on public funds, they often represent the head of state at the request of the Foreign Office. The traditional royal tour is about diplomacy, that is, managing relations with the heads of other countries.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s resumption of touring in 2024 is indicative of how much their ambitions have expanded since they officially left the royal family. In recent years, they’ve gathered experience and built connections on issues including veterans’ advocacy, mental health, online safety, and women’s empowerment. Now they’re starting to draw attention to how important these issues are to people around the world. It’s the next step in their plan for world domination—or at least their path to changing global politics.
During their trip to Colombia, which lasted from August 15 to 18, Meghan and Harry traveled only as representatives of the work they do first-hand. The Duke and Duchess were invited to the country by the nation’s first black vice president, France Marquezwho explained his reasons in a press conference immediately after the couple’s arrival.
“How did I meet Meghan and Harry? I first met them through the media, and in particular I watched the Netflix series about their life and their story, which moved me deeply,” she said, “and made me think, ‘This is a woman who deserves to visit our country and share her story.’ And her visit will undoubtedly be an empowerment for so many women around the world.”
The mutual admiration between Márquez and the Duchess was evident in their enthusiastic embrace upon their first meeting, which marked the start of a whirlwind tour that has taken them to three cities and introduced them to the Latin American nation’s music, theater and fashion. Last week, they visited two elementary schools in Bogotá, where they attended classes on digital literacy and emotional well-being. During the visit to Colegio La Giralda, a group of kindergarteners serenaded them, and Meghan said in Spanish: “You are the same age as my son. Archie!».
While Meghan apparently only plays drums when traveling, it’s surprising how similar their activities in Colombia are to the kinds of events they might attend closer to home. In recent years, Meghan and Harry have visited classrooms in the U.S. and U.K., with Meghan giving similar speeches about the importance of women’s empowerment in cities like Los Angeles, Austin, and Abuja, Nigeria.
But the main objective of the trip was related to the recent initiative of the Archewell Foundationaimed at raising awareness of the harm children can suffer online and providing support for victims. The central event was a panel discussion about their work, which had a similar format and focus to the one they hosted in New York in October 2023. In his remarks, Harry cited the couple’s shared belief that “the integrity of information is a fundamental right.”
This statement is reminiscent of the findings of the 2021 Aspen Institute panel on information chaos, which included Harry. Cyberbullying and misinformation may have seemed like “first-world problems” when the internet was in its infancy, but Meghan and Harry’s presence in Colombia underscored that they have become increasingly common in all countries, regardless of socioeconomic status.
In November, Colombia will host the first Global Ministerial Conference to End Violence Against Children, in partnership with UNICEF and others, and Meghan and Harry’s visit was intended to highlight some of the issues that will be addressed at the summit. In a statement marking the 35th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the human rights organization explained why it is the right time to return to the conversation about violence against children. “Global changes, such as the rise of digital technology, climate change, protracted conflict and mass migration, are fundamentally changing childhood,” the statement said. “Today’s children face new threats to their rights, but they also have new opportunities to realize them.”
Over the weekend, the Sunday Times has published an in-depth analysis of Harry’s life and career, with commentary from some of the friends and staff he left behind in the UK who fear his Californian lifestyle may not be enough to satisfy the prince’s ambitions. “What is Prince Harry’s purpose?” a former staffer told the paper. “The Invictus job is great and fatherhood was the role he wanted most, so maybe that’s enough for him. But everything else is a bit vague. I always thought he wanted more out of life. I can’t help but think he’s asking, ‘What do I do now?’”
In Colombia, Harry’s answer to this question was clear, and if his former confidants had seen it up close, perhaps they wouldn’t have been so confused. In their work after officially leaving the royal family, Meghan and Harry have tried to change the old royal routine. In May Afam OnyemaCEO of the GEANCO Foundation who accompanied the couple on their trip to Nigeria, said Vanity Fair that their goals are about doing, not just showing.
“I was really touched when they said it’s not just a speech and a photoshoot. They want to leave something, leave a legacy,” Onyema said. “From my experience with them and their team, that’s really important to them: to leave a legacy and an impact and really help people in direct, tangible ways.”
Source: Vanity Fair
I’m Susan Karen, a professional writer and editor at World Stock Market. I specialize in Entertainment news, writing stories that keep readers informed on all the latest developments in the industry. With over five years of experience in creating engaging content and copywriting for various media outlets, I have grown to become an invaluable asset to any team.
