Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's South American tour began with all the pomp and circumstance expected from a couple often seen as the epitome of self-importance.
Their whirlwind tour, serving as a prelude to the Invictus Games next year, brought them to Colombia. However, instead of merely visiting the country, their trip appeared more like a masterclass in performative philanthropy. The royal duo was warmly received by Colombia's Vice President, Francia Márquez, who, like the rest of the world, seemed eager to witness the couple in action.
Meghan, always ready to make a fashion statement, donned a pair of Princess Diana's iconic earrings on the second day, perhaps as a subtle reminder of her self-assumed royal status. As expected, she managed to center the attention on herself, especially during her visit to Colegio Lealo in Santa Fe, a local school where she was clearly the star of the show. In what felt like a scene from a cringe-worthy charity event, Meghan and Harry participated in a photo-op, planting trees and engaging with the children. Meghan assisted a five-year-old girl named Manuela in planting a walnut tree, while Harry enthusiastically planted a guava tree, a native plant to the region. This brief moment of getting their hands dirty was designed to tug at the heartstrings of royal watchers, but the gesture felt as sincere as a celebrity trying to avoid a speeding ticket.
Meghan went further by making a show of connecting with a young girl the same age as her son, Archie, as if this shared characteristic could somehow bridge the vast gap between her privileged life and the realities of these children's lives. Meanwhile, Harry struggled with his Spanish, awkwardly asking the students their names and ages, clearly lost in translation.
But the situation took an even more ironic turn. The children, who had likely prepared their artwork and handwritten letters for the royal visitors, were led to believe they would meet James Rodríguez, a famous football star. Instead, they were greeted by two people they didn’t recognize, who also didn’t speak their language. The bait-and-switch was so obvious that even the children couldn’t hide their disinterest. It seemed as though Harry and Meghan were so disconnected from reality that they failed to recognize how out of touch their visit truly was.
The royal couple's attempt to present themselves as benevolent figures fell flat when it became apparent they were more interested in controlling the narrative than in meaningful engagement. By excluding outside media and carefully crafting a curated Instagram aesthetic, Meghan and Harry's visit was less about genuine interaction and more about projecting an image of philanthropy and concern. As usual, their actions spoke volumes about their true intentions—maintaining the façade of altruism while avoiding any real scrutiny.
The vice president's complicity in this charade only added to the mess. By playing along with Harry and Meghan's script, she effectively endorsed their transparent efforts to turn what should have been a serious visit into a royal publicity stunt. This raises questions about the vice president's credibility, as she too appeared to be entangled in this web of deception.
According to observers, the disappointment among the children was palpable. They had been promised an encounter with a celebrity but were left with an underwhelming royal duo instead. It’s no wonder the kids looked bored—who wouldn’t be, when expecting a football star and getting a pair of self-important royals instead? Harry and Meghan's Colombian escapade was nothing short of a farce. They turned what could have been a meaningful engagement into yet another exercise in self-promotion. The result? A room full of disenchanted children, a media blackout, and a growing sense of disillusionment with the couple's so-called charitable efforts.
