Meghan Markle greeted Colombia’s vice president with a gift as she and Harry landed in the country’s capital for the start of their four-day quasi-royal tour.
The 43-year-old Duchess of Sussex was invited to the country by Vice President Francia Márquez after the politician saw the couple’s two-part Netflix documentary.
As Megan and Harry, 39, greeted Ms Márquez and her partner Rafael Yerney Pinillo, they presented them with a personal gift.
The quartet then chatted, during which Ms Márquez reportedly told the former senior royals that she admired Prince Harry’s late mother, Princess Diana of Wales.
According to Harper’s Bazaar, the four drank tea and coffee at Ms Márquez’s residence, with the politician saying she believed she shared the same goals as the Sussexes when it came to creating a safer online world for children.
Meghan and Harry have arrived in Colombia for their four-day visit – landing in the capital Bogota
After the meeting, Harry and Meghan were photographed smiling and walking hand in hand through Bogota.
Mother-of-two Meghan wore a £596 navy collared waistcoat by New York brand Veronica Beard.
She paired her sleeveless, buttoned garment with matching navy ankle-length trousers from the designer, which cost £349.33.
The The ensemble was paired with black high heels by Manolo Blahnik and a cream-colored $4,700 handbag by Italian company Loro Piana.
Three months after visiting Nigeria, the couple has a busy schedule on their “royal” tour. The tour begins with a visit to the local school, the Colegio Cultura Popular, for a tour and a meeting with the headmaster.
It is her second so-called quasi-royal appearance after a trip to Nigeria earlier this year.
Over the next four days, the Sussexes will explore the city of Bogotá before heading to Cartagena and Cali on a “cultural and social” visit.
Harry will also meet members of the Colombian team competing in the Invictus Games and preparing for the 2025 Games in Whistler, Canada.
Meghan is pictured hugging Colombian Vice President Francia Márquez, who invited the Sussexes to the country after watching her Netflix documentary.
Authorities are keeping the itinerary top secret, as parts of the country are best avoided due to ongoing internal conflicts.
Parts of Colombia, like Nigeria, are classified as high-risk destinations by the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office.
“The FCDO advises against all non-essential travel to parts of Colombia,” the government agency said, adding that despite a 2016 peace agreement between the government and the revolutionary FARC organization, many armed groups remain active in the country.
Marquez told reporters today that the purpose of the visit was to “build bridges and open doors” to address the problem of cyberbullying and discrimination online, especially against young people.
She reportedly told Harry and Meghan that they share the same goals when it comes to safety and mental health on social media.
However, she made no secret of the fact that the trip is also intended to showcase Colombia on the world stage – leading to fears that the Sussexes are being manipulated to boost the Vice President’s reputation after a series of scandals.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro has a 34 percent approval rating among voters and has fired centrist politicians from his cabinet who opposed his expensive health care and pension plans.
Prince Harry shakes hands with the Vice President as the Sussexes begin their four-day trip to Colombia, arriving in the country’s capital today
Marquez has been accused of using helicopters like taxis to commute to and from work. When asked in the past why she used them so frequently, she reportedly replied that she was vice president and it was “too bad.”
The Vice President says the visit had been planned for a year after she invited Meghan to the country a year ago on July 25, International Day of the Afro-African Woman.
Meghan had strongly emphasized her African ancestry during her and Harry’s visit to Nigeria in May this year – their first royal trip together.
Ms Marquez said today: “We wanted to invite Meghan, a woman of African descent, to attend this meeting and share her experiences.”
“At that time, we sent her an invitation letter and she replied. The letter said that she could not come, but that she really wanted to visit our country and get to know it.
“Since then, we have been working for a year to make this important and good visit possible.
Ms Marquez reportedly said she believes she shares the same goals as the Sussexes when it comes to creating a safer online world for children.
“(As for) the way I got to know Meghan and Harry, I got to know them through the media, but most of all I watched the series about their lives and their story on Netflix, and that moved me and motivated me to say: This is a woman who deserves to come to our country and tell her story.”
“Without a doubt, it will be empowering for so many women around the world.”
She also said of the visit: “I would also like to use the media and national and international communication to invite the world to visit our country.”
“Colombia is a country with enormous cultural wealth, with unique biodiversity and strong people who want to move forward.”
“Colombia, the land of beauty, wants to be the best host and it will be.”
One of the reasons for the trip could be that Ms Marquez sees Meghan as an ally in the fight against cyberbullying.
They were invited to the country by Vice President Francia Marquez (pictured), who was “moved” by Meghan’s story as told in the Netflix documentary released in 2022
She is Colombia’s first black vice president and last year a woman was convicted after calling Ms Marquez a “monkey” in a racist tirade.
The Associated Press reported that the woman, Luz Fabiola Rubiano, said, “Francia Márquez is an ape… what education can black people have, they steal, attack and kill.” In April 2023, she pleaded guilty to the charges.
Ms Marquez claims she has been the victim of over 12,000 racist comments on social media in the past year.
At the press conference, she said: “I think I have been telling the story of racism and racial discrimination since I was a child, I have been aware of it since I was 13 years old.”
“Today, we, as women politically active around the world, are exposed to levels of violence on social networks that undermine our well-being and dignity.”
