Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's tour of Colombia has reached unprecedented lows that even the most skeptical observers might not have expected.
What was likely intended as a showcase of Prince Harry and Meghan's global influence has instead devolved into a spectacle of awkwardness and empty seats. The tour's first day began with Meghan delivering a speech on online safety at the Responsible Digital Future Summit, organized by the Archewell Foundation in collaboration with the office of Colombia's Vice President and Illuminat. While the event had all the trappings of a grand affair, it missed one crucial element: an audience.
In her speech, Meghan urged online trolls to reflect on the values their parents or grandparents taught them before posting cruel comments online. Though her message was undoubtedly noble, it unfortunately fell on deaf ears, mainly because there were so few ears present to hear it. The situation only worsened when it became apparent that Meghan had not yet mastered Spanish—a critical skill when addressing an audience in a Spanish-speaking country. The few attendees who were present were left questioning why they had bothered to attend, as the empty chairs around them told a story of their own.
After such an underwhelming start, one might expect that every effort would be made to ensure a better turnout for the remainder of the tour. However, this was not the case. Speculation arose that they might resort to hiring a crowd, as they were rumored to have done during their tour of Nigeria, where enthusiastic fans seemed to appear out of nowhere. But in Colombia, even this rumored crowd-renting strategy seemed to have failed, leaving the Duke and Duchess to confront empty venues alone.
The next event was, predictably, another disappointment. It was held at a location with minimal seating, possibly a reflection of the expected turnout. The notion that people would willingly sit under the scorching sun just to hear Harry and Meghan speak seems almost far-fetched, and unsurprisingly, the crowd was as sparse as ever. To add to their woes, the tour was marred by a series of personal embarrassments. Meghan was spotted with sweat stains—a trivial detail, but one that the press eagerly seized upon. Meanwhile, Harry's thinning hair became increasingly noticeable, further contributing to the image of a couple whose glory days are clearly behind them. The stark contrast between their current reality and their once glamorous lifestyle could not have been more evident.
Perhaps the most absurd aspect of this entire debacle was the level of security that accompanied them, despite the lack of any substantial crowds. Reports indicate that over 3,000 security personnel, including military forces, were present. The sight of heavily armed guards protecting empty venues was almost poetic—a fitting metaphor for the futility of the entire endeavor. One cannot help but wonder why such extreme measures were necessary when there was no one around to pose any threat.
In the end, the royal Colombian tour has accomplished one thing: it has firmly cemented Harry and Meghan's status as figures of fading relevance. Their attempts to remain in the spotlight have only served to highlight how far they have fallen from it. This tour, if nothing else, has made it painfully clear that the Sussexes are no longer the captivating figures they once were.
