A beaming Prince Harry and Meghan Markle enjoyed a show by Colombian folk dancers in Bogota yesterday after meeting bored-looking schoolchildren on the first day of their tour of the Latin American country.
The royal couple were treated to a colourful theatrical performance of the play 'The Kiss of the Hummingbird' at the Delia Zapata National Centre for the Arts.
Tapping her toes and smiling enthusiastically, Meghan chatted to vice president Francia Márquez and pointed to some of the costumes.
Harry looked on as the outfits, which included multicoloured feathered headdresses adorned with exotic birds, were explained to him.
Some of the dance troupe even appeared to have Union Jack's painted onto their faces and at one point Harry and Meghan stood up to clap and sway in time to the music.
At the end of the performance Harry and Meghan shook hands with the dancers with the Duke telling one: 'These costumes are amazing.'
Harry and Meghan made a quick wardrobe change for the performance, opting for lighter colours compared to the dark and navy outfits they wore when they landed in the country.
The Sussexes had earlier smiled as they arrived hand-in-hand in the country's capital for the start of their four-day quasi-royal visit.
They were warmly embraced by Ms Márquez who took them to city centre public school Centro Nacional Cultura Popular, which was under heavy armed guard for the couple's visit.
In one snap, Harry appears to be brushing something away from his blazer with his hand while a pupil sitting in between Meghan and Ms Márquez stares aimlessly ahead.
The Sussexes pose for a snap with one of the dancers after the performance finished
Harry poses for a selfie with an artist as his wife Meghan looks on during a visit at the National Centre for the Arts
The royal couple were treated to a colourful tribal dance at the Delia Zapata National Centre for the Arts
A smiling Megan and Harry stand and clap along to the music alongside the country's VP Ms Marquez (left)
The Duchess of Sussex chats with Ms Marquez during the tribal dance performance
At the end of the performance Harry and Meghan shook hands with the dancers with the Duke telling one: 'These costumes are amazing'
The Duke laughs and jokes as he gestures next to the director of the National Centre for the Arts, Xiomara Suescun
Meghan and Harry smile as they meet one of the dancers at the welcoming ceremony held for the royal couple
Vice President of Colombia Ms Marquez, Prince Harry, and Meghan, clap and dance during a folkloric presentation
Musicians wearing traditional Carnival dress perform during a welcoming ceremony for Prince Harry and Meghan
Harry looked on as the costumes, which included multicoloured feathered headdresses adorned with exotic birds, were explained to him
Harry and Meghan hold hands as they are treated to a colourful tribal dance
Ms Marquez took Harry and Meghan to visit city centre public school Centro Nacional Cultura Popular. One pupil sitting in between the VP and Meghan stares aimlessly ahead while Harry appears to brush something off his blazer
During the visit the pupils chatted to Harry and Meghan about what worries them about technological change.
A translator was at hand, but Meghan showed off her linguistic skills as she chatted away in Spanish.
The Duchess described the group as incredibly 'impressive, smart, and savvy' and highlighted the importance of them aiming to be 'self reliant and not tech reliant.'
During a speech yesterday, Harry appeared to reference the Southport attack in which three little girls were killed, according to the BBC.
He said: 'For as long as people are allowed to spread lies, abuse, then social cohesion as we know it has completely broken down… now what happens online within a matter of minutes transfers to the streets.'
Meghan and Harry had earlier presented Ms Marquez and her partner, Rafael Yerney Pinillo, with an unspecified personal gift ahead of a closed-door tea and coffee hour with traditional pan de bono - Colombian cheese bread.
The Duchess of Sussex was invited to the country by VP Márquez after she learned of her story in depth via the couple's two-part Netflix documentary.
The Sussexes were pictured smiling and walking hand-in-hand in Bogota shortly after meeting Ms Márquez earlier yesterday; official pictures show Meghan smiling broadly as she greets the top politician.
Meghan wore a navy blue Veronica Beard summer suit - comprised of £448 trousers and a £598 waistcoat - along with a £3,775 Loro Piana 'Loom' White handbag.
She also wore shoes that resembled a pair of £595 Manolo Blahnik court shoes she has been seen in before. Harry put on a unifying front with his own outfit, donning a matching dark suit, light blue shirt and black dress shoes.
The couple have a busy schedule for the days ahead on the royal-in-all-but-name tour three months after their Nigeria visit - starting with a visit to local children's school, the Colegio Cultura Popular, which is under heavy armed guard.
It is their second so-called quasi-royal engagement after a trip to Nigeria earlier this year.
The Duke of Sussex was fascinated by the dancers' outfits and told one of them: 'These costumes are amazing'
Harry waves and smiles at some students as he arrives at the National Centre for the Arts
Harry and Meghan smiled throughout the performance and at one point both stood and clapped their hands in time with the rhythm
Meghan was enthralled throughout the performance and was seen nodding her head and smiling
Harry holds onto Meghan's hand as they go to take their seats ahead of the performance
Meghan Markle is seen smiling broadly as she greets Colombia's vice president Francia Márquez in Bogota
Prince Harry is seen shaking hands with Ms Marquez as a smiling Meghan looks on. The Duke and Duchess stayed at the residence for half an hour, where the Vice President expressed her gratitude for the couple's official visit
The Sussexes have arrived in Colombia - landing in capital city Bogota - for their four-day royal-in-all-but-name tour three months after their Nigeria visit
They were invited to Colombia for their quasi royal tour after the country's vice president saw them on Netflix and was 'moved' by their story.
Harper's Bazaar, the Sussex-sympathetic publication which is accompanying the couple on the trip, reports the couple were met by Ms Marquez after landing.
The Duke and Duchess stayed at the residence for half an hour, where the Vice President expressed her gratitude for the couple's official visit.
Ms Marquez described the Sussexes' trip as a 'very special visit' aimed at building bridges and joining forces against cyber-bullying and online digital violence and discrimination, as well as promoting women's leadership in Colombia.
The Sussexes' team has not confirmed how the trip is being funded, whether privately, through Harry and Meghan's Archewell Foundation, by the Colombian government or other means.
The quasi-royal tour, which has many similarities to the programme of an official royal overseas visit, is the Sussexes' second this year, after their three-day visit to Nigeria at the invitation of the West African nation's chief of defence staff.
Harper's Bazaar magazine, covering the trip as the only words pool, said Ms Marquez shared her personal admiration for Harry's late mother Diana, Princess of Wales.
The VP spoke at a press conference where she spoke of Diana's 'dream' of visiting the country.
Ms Marquez said: 'I think that Prince Harry being here today after that dream of his mum's of visiting this country is an opportunity to show the best of our nation, to show who Colombians are. We are people who in the midst of adversities do everything possible to give the best of ourselves.'
During the sit-down chat, Ms Marquez said she shared the same ideals and goals as Harry and Meghan amid their campaign to make the digital world safer for children.
Ms Marquez took Harry and Meghan to visit city centre public school Centro Nacional Cultura Popular.
Harry and Meghan chatted with a group of around 20 students aged between 12 and 18. The kids spoke about what they like and what worries them about technological change.
Harry poses for hte camera as he shakes hands with a student of the Popular Cultural School in Bogota
Prince Harry, Meghan, Ms Marquez her husband Yerney Pinillo visit local charter school, Colegio Cultura Popular
Meghan and Harry chatted to a group of about 20 students during their visit to the school on the first day of their tour of Colombia
Harry and Meghan chatted with a group of around 20 students aged between 12 and 18. The kids spoke about what they like and what worries them about technological change
Harry and Meghan stand with Colombian vice president Francia Márquez and her partner Rafael Yerney Pinillos
Headmaster Leonel Umaña, 51, said the visit had focussed on an anti-cyber bullying project 'but when we finished the session and toured the school with them they broke the protocol and posed for pictures with the kids'
Although there was a translator at hand, Meghan showed off her good command of Spanish, Mr Umaña said
Harry and Meghan broke protocol of a mobile phone and picture ban to pose for snaps with teachers and children
During the visit to the school Harry told the teachers to keep up their good work, 'which they loved'
Security is tight in the city, with armed police seen guarding the school where they are carrying out their first engagement
Soldiers standing guard near the Colegio Cultura Popular school, where the Sussexes are meeting its headteacher after being greeted by Colombia's vicepresident
They were invited to the country by vice-president Francia Marquez (pictured), who was 'moved' by Meghan's story as relayed in the Netflix documentary released in 2022
The pair are expected to stay in the £2,500-a-night Presidential suite at the Sofitel Legend Hotel in Cartagena
Headmaster Leonel Umaña, 51, said the visit had focussed on an anti-cyber bullying project.
Although there was a translator at hand, Meghan showed off her good command of Spanish, Mr Umaña said.
He added: 'She speaks Spanish well. We had to explain a few of our typical Colombian slang words that our students use and that caused a few laughs and jokes.
'At first we were told that there were to be no mobile phones or pictures due to protocol.
'But when we finished the session and toured the school with them they broke the protocol and posed for pictures with the kids.
'Harry told the teachers to keep up their good work, which they loved.'
Across the next four days, the Sussexes will take in the city of Bogotá before heading off to Cartagena and Cali as part of a 'cultural and social' visit.
Harry will also meet members of the Team Colombia squad participating in the Invictus Games, who are gearing up for the 2025 games in Whistler, Canada.
Officials have kept the itinerary a closely guarded secret as parts of the country are described as 'best avoided' due to ongoing internal conflicts.
Colombia, like Nigeria, is seen as a high risk destination in parts by the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office.
'FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of Colombia,' the government agency says, adding that many armed groups remain active in the country despite a 2016 peace deal between the government and revolutionary outfit FARC.
Besides several police cars and vans, armed soldiers were also deployed to protect Harry and Megan in a massive ring of steel.
Roads were blocked off and residents forced on lengthy detours to reach their homes or wait at checkpoints for events to finish so they could carry on.
Security is also tight due to death threats on the host for their trip Ms Marquez. She has been targeted before in the past as have her relatives including an attack on her father Sigifredo Márquez Trujillo just two months ago when a car he was in was wracked with gunfire. He was unharmed.
At the time she expressed her 'concern for security in Cauca, Valle del Cauca, in the municipality of Suárez and the district of La Toma, as well as for the security of my community and my family'.
Prince Harry and Meghan meeting students in Abuja during their quasi-royal tour of Nigeria in May this year
Harry and Meghan will visit Bogata as part of their tour of Colombia
The vice-president of Colombia says she was moved to invite Harry and Meghan to the country after watching their Netflix documentary (pictured)
Ms Marquez told reporters yesterday the purpose of the visit was to 'build bridges and open doors' in order to tackle the problem of cyberbullying and discrimination online, particularly for young people.
She is reported to have told Harry and Meghan that they share the same goals when it comes to safety and mental health on social media.
However, she did not disguise that the trip will serve as a way of showing Colombia on the global stage - leading to fears that the Sussexes are being manipulated to shore up the vice-president's reputation following a number of scandals.
Colombian president Gustavo Petro, a former guerilla soldier, has a 34 per cent approval rating among voters and he has sacked centrist figured in his cabinet who opposed his expensive healthcare and pension plans.
Ms Marquez has been accused of using helicopters like taxis in order to shuttle herself back and forth from work. In the past, when asked why she used them so frequently, she is reported to have said she was the vice president, so 'too bad.'
The VP says the visit has been on the cards for a year after she invited Meghan to the country a year ago on July 25, International Afro-descendant Women's Day.
Ms Marquez said yesterday: 'We wanted to invite Meghan, an Afro-descendant woman, to participate in that meeting and share her experiences.
'At that time we sent her a letter inviting her and she responded to us - the letter said that she couldn't come but she was eager to visit and get to know our country.
'Since then we have been working for a year to achieve this visit, which is so important and good.
'(As for) how I met Meghan and Harry, well, I met them in the media but above all I saw the series on Netflix about her life and her story 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 a strengthening for so many women in the world.'
She also said of the visit: 'I also want to take advantage of the media, of 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 get ahead.
'Colombia, the country of beauty, wants to be the best host and so it will be.'
For Ms Marquez, part of the reason for the trip may be that she sees Meghan as an ally in cyberbullying.
Ms Márquez claims she was the victim of over 12,000 racist comments on social media last year - and she has been the target of death threats and attacks.
She is the first black vice-president of Colombia and last year a woman was convicted after making a racist rant in which she called Ms Marquez an 'ape'.
A former housekeeper who had her first child at 16, Ms Marquez rose to prominence for her opposition to illegal gold mining in her home province and won a prestigious environmental prize for her work.
She spearheaded a 10-day, 350-mile march of 80 women from La Toma to the nation's capital, resulting in the removal of all illegal miners and equipment from her community.
The Associated Press reported the woman, Luz Fabiola Rubiano, said: 'Francia Márquez is an ape … what education can Black people have, they steal, attack and kill.' She pleaded guilty to the charges in April 2023.
She told the press conference: 'I think I have told the story, the history of racism and racial discrimination from when I was a child, I've been aware of it since I was 13.
'For women today that are involved in politics in the world, we are exposed to a level of violence on social networks that affects our wellbeing (and) our dignity.'
