Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are embarking on their second “royal” tour since leaving the royal family.
The Sussexes made a trip to Nigeria several months ago, which reportedly left the royals furious – and the possibility is that things won’t be getting better in the coming days.
On Thursday, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex landed in Bogota, Colombia, where they will support initiatives that protect children from online harm.
The couple was greeted by Vice President Francia Márquez when arriving, and it didn’t take long before Harry and Meghan made headlines.
While a body language expert claimed Harry looked quite miserable at some points, the couple has been criticized for even embarking on the Colombia journey. One royal expert expressed concern that Harry and Meghan would bring their children on the trip. And just hours before landing in Bogota, another insider questioned if the couple had been honest about the purpose of the trip.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle wanted to live a more private life after leaving the royal family. After a short stint in Canada, they settled in Montecito, California, living in a huge mansion dubbed “Fort Knox.”
Prince Harry & Meghan Markle on “royal” tours
Royal life included engagements all over the country and meeting members of the public practically every day, and perhaps they also didn’t enjoy doing that anymore.
Well, it seems that the Sussexes have at least missed some of it as they have been out on what some have called a “royal tour.” In May, they touched down in Nigeria for a three-day visit, where they promoted causes close to their hearts: the Invictus Games and mental health initiatives.
The three-day private visit to the West African nation appeared to have been a huge success, and the Sussexes were welcomed as royals.
They arrived to a vast crowd, smiling and taking selfies with members of the public, but not everyone was thrilled about them even being there.
Before the three-day visit, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle received hefty criticism as it was considered somewhat of an “unofficial royal tour.” Meanwhile, they were accused of damaging the royal family’s ties to the Commonwealth.
Royal expert Tom Bower suggested that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were playing the “royal card.”
Meanwhile, author Phil Dampier stated that the Nigeria visit seemed “ironic” since the Sussexes had previously criticized the Commonwealth.
“It’s ironic that the late Queen wanted Harry and Meghan to very much be her ambassadors throughout the Commonwealth and spread goodwill among its fifty or so nations, but they didn’t want to do it as royals,” Dampier told the Daily Mail.