Biggest question about Harry and Meghan’s tour answered

Many have been left confused by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s decision to visit Colombia, a country that they seemingly had no ties with or interest in prior to their tour.
Now Colombian Vice President Francia Márquez, who was the force behind the invitation, has explained the reason why she reached out to the Sussexes to visit her nation.
During a press conference on Thursday, the politician – who is the first Black woman to hold her position and is also the country’s Minister for Equality and Equity – said that she, like many others, got to know them from the media.
READ MORE: ‘As Prince Harry and Meghan prepare to touch down in Colombia, many are asking “what is the point” of this non-royal tour’
“I particularly watched the Netflix series about their lives and their story, which deeply moved me,” the 42-year-old shared.
“It motivated me to say, ‘This is a woman who deserves to visit our country and share her story’, and undoubtedly, her visit will strengthen so many women around the world.”
Márquez also suggested that she and the Duchess of Sussex had experienced similar racist abuse as a result of being in the public eye.
For a daily dose of 9honey, subscribe to our newsletter here.
The politician shared that she had originally invited the 43-year-old to participate in events for ‘Day of Afro-descendant Women’ taking place in the country last year, as Meghan had revealed that she was 43 per cent Nigerian. Unfortunately, she couldn’t make it.
“At that time, we sent her an invitation letter, and she responded saying that she couldn’t come but was very eager to visit and get to know our country,” Márquez said.
“Since then, we have been working for a year to make this important visit happen, and that’s how it came about.”
READ MORE: Dyson deals you won’t want to miss
In a statement to the media, the vice president further explained the purpose of the royals’ visit.
“This is their first visit to Latin America. The purpose of their visit is to build bridges and open doors that will allow us to join forces in raising awareness and addressing a global issue that concerns us all: cyber-bullying in digital environments and discrimination, which pose a risk to everyone’s mental health worldwide,” she said.
The visit will tie in with the royal couple’s newly-launched online safety campaign, The Parents’ Network, following a pilot program through their Archewell Foundation in 2023.
FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.