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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex called time on their quasi-royal tour of Colombia on Sunday with an evening of dancing and cheering in the former cartel city of Cali – but there were mixed feelings from locals towards the couple’s visit.
Upon arrival in the country on Thursday, the pair were whisked to vice president Francia Marquez’s private residence, where it was revealed their invitation had been prompted by Marquez enjoying their Netflix documentary.
The vice-president’s invitation was an attempt to “bring people who give her media attention” due to distant ties with President Gustavo Petro who “has not done much in the last two years”, political scientist Mónica Pachón told The Independent.
But as their tour ended, some Colombians appeared unmoved by the carefully choreographed four-day trip.
“It’s very strange, they move like ghosts,” Arturo, a waiter in Avenida Jimenez de Quesada told the Daily Mail on Thursday.
Adding: ‘Tell me what they look like if you catch them!’
While in a remote visit to the town of San Basilio, just south of Cartagena, Justo Valdés, 70, a singer in the local band Son Palenque, asked: “Who is Meghan?” and was unaware of the country to which Harry was a prince, according to The Telegraph.
What the couple managed to achieve from their visit remains unclear prompting royal critics to brand the unofficial tour as a PR stunt for both the Sussexes’ and Colombian government.
Questions over the extravagance of their visit, including security costs expected for the Colombian government, have created an awkward imposition against the backdrop of a largely poverty-stricken country.
Colombia ranks second after Brazil in Latin America for economic inequality with 16,708,153, people declared to be living in a situation of monetary poverty in 2023, according to Oxfam and DANE (Colombia’s National Administrative Department of Statistics).
The country also faces significant inequality between urban and rural areas with 30.6 per cent of people living in poverty in urban areas in 2023, compared to 41.2 per cent in rural zones.
In the north, cities such as Santa Marta and Cartagena face ongoing poverty with rampant child prostitution and exploitation in blatant operations.
Critics claim that the Sussexes’ trip was advantageous for both parties looking to boost their popularity in the public eye. However, the Sussexes’ focus on the dangerous impact of social media on Colombian children felt like a gloss over the multiplicity of social, political, and economic challenges faced by the country.
A Bogota-based British journalist said the mood towards Harry and Meghan felt more positive compared to how parts of the media perceived the trip.
He said: “A lot of Colombians are pretty mad for the royals, the antiquated traditions and all the gossip that surrounds them.
“I think most Colombians with an opinion on the matter are pleased that Harry & Meghan have taken the time to visit Colombia, show an interest and spotlight both its wonders and its issues.
“Most of the coverage has been positive, including on Harry & Meghan getting involved in salsa dancing and Meghan impressing with her Spanish while in conversation with the VP.
“What irks Colombians more, I think, is the tabloid coverage saying that the trip is foolish because Colombia is some kind of off-limits lawless, hellhole run by cartels.”
Albeit, Harry was caught out in a dubious position when Marquez, who is one of the world’s leading voices in the call for reparations, set up a national commission to “repair the historical debt owed”.
Harry denounced the “unjust” system that saw “enslaved people” generate wealth for the Crown, yet continues to remain a seen member of the Royal family globally despite cutting his familial ties.
