Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made headlines with their grand tour of Bogotá, Cartagena, and other parts of Colombia, ostensibly to champion child protection, social justice, and Afro-descendant culture.
However, instead of achieving these noble goals, their visit quickly devolved into a public relations fiasco. The outcome has left Colombia's Vice President, Francia Márquez, regretting her decision to extend such a warm welcome to the Sussexes. According to Colombian news outlet CW Plus, the so-called humanitarian visit by the royal couple ended up costing an eye-watering 8,000 million Colombian pesos, roughly $2 million.
This lavish expenditure, covering extensive security, transportation, and other luxuries, was funded by the people of Colombia, and what did they get in return? A wave of public outrage and fresh criticism about how the country's resources are being managed.
While Meghan and Harry paraded around like they were on a luxury vacation, the Colombian public watched from the sidelines, frustrated by the display of excess. It's worth noting that 14% of Colombians live on just $25 a day, yet Meghan's outfits alone during the visit could have fed a family for a year. It seems ironic that a visit supposedly aimed at empowerment was marred by such extravagant displays of wealth in a country where so many struggle to make ends meet. Vice President Márquez, who initially welcomed the couple with open arms, might now be regretting her decision. The demands and entitlement of the Sussexes likely left her exasperated, and one can only imagine her frustration when she realized that she had been misled by these royal figures.
Far from the sympathetic characters portrayed in their Netflix documentary, Meghan and Harry came across as the demanding divas that the public has come to expect. It's clear that Vice President Márquez was blindsided by the reality of hosting the Sussexes. The glossy narrative carefully crafted by Netflix quickly wore off once the couple arrived on the ground. The Vice President likely had no idea what a spectacle Meghan and Harry would be in person. Their notorious photo ops made it evident that they were more interested in curating their image than genuinely engaging with the people.
The tension between Meghan Markle and Vice President Márquez was palpable. In one particularly telling video from the Afro Women in Power conference in Cali, Márquez looked visibly frustrated, almost on the verge of losing her composure. Meghan's lack of discretion and her penchant for criticizing everything did not earn her any favors. It seems that the Vice President underestimated how much Meghan would dominate the spotlight, and Colombian women are not known for their tolerance of anyone attempting to outshine them. As the days of the visit dragged on, Márquez’s growing discontent became increasingly apparent. She quickly realized the magnitude of her mistake in hosting Meghan, who, with her insufferable charm and grandiose behavior, revealed herself as the faux humanitarian she truly is. By the end of the visit, both Meghan and the Vice President were barely concealing their mutual disdain. The politeness was as thin as the smiles they plastered on their faces for the cameras.
This isn’t the first time Meghan and Harry have overstayed their welcome on a foreign tour, and it likely won’t be the last. The pattern is clear: people don't like them, and they can't wait for them to leave. The Colombian Vice President’s disappointment is just the latest chapter in Meghan's ongoing saga of grifting and attention-seeking behavior. In every photo, Meghan and Harry’s strained smiles are juxtaposed with the solemn faces of those around them. The discontent of the Colombian people, hidden behind forced grins, serves as a stark reminder that the Sussexes' antics are far from endearing. Once again, Meghan and Harry have shown that their quest for attention often comes at the expense of genuine connection and respect. So, here's to the next destination, where they will undoubtedly face the same cold reception, as the world begins to see through their royal charade.
