Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s tour of Colombia has continued for a second and third day with the couple’s huge security operation becoming apparent as they enjoyed events in the capital Bogota as well as the port city of Cartagena

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s ‘royal-style’ tour of Colombia is rumbling on with the huge security operation surrounding them being laid bare.

On the second day of the tour yesterday in the capital Bogota and in the port city of Cartagena on Saturday, the Sussexes were surrounded by a ring of steel that included the likes of a bullet proof shield, snipers on roofs and even a nuclear reponse unit van being part of their cavalcade. But despite the security worries, the couple have been all smiles as they visited a school, took part in a drumming class and met Invictus Games competitors. Here are the biggest revelations from day two and three of the trip….

‘Bandit country’ visit

The couple’s first stop on Friday was La Giralda School in Bogota, where they met students to talk about supporting healthy lives, with a huge security presence in tow. A local taxi driver described the school as being in “bandit country” and warned journalists who were in the area covering the visit to “be careful”.

The huge security presence around the school during Harry and Meghan’s visit ( 
Image:
Stan Kujawa)

The school the couple visited on Friday was in the Bogota district of Santa Fe which is seen as a particularly dangerous and violent suburb. The area is Bogota’s red-light district, a deadly mix of prostitution, drugs and violence and best avoided at night, according to locals. It featured on Apple TV series No Go Zones – The World’s Toughest Places – and was described as an area of “Colombian gangsters and pimps in charge and all manner of homeless people and where addicts find their way to the wasteland of Bogota”. The ring of steel surrounding the Sussexes will raise eyebrows as Colombia has travel advisory warnings from the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office.

‘Bullet-proof’ shield

Meanwhile, when it came to the ring of steel, it emerged that Harry and Meghan’s security in Colombia includes an officer armed with a Kevlar shield to stop any potential shooter taking aim at the couple. At each event the couple have attended the man – part of the local security detail – has been seen jumping out of a vehicle ahead of the couple holding the folding shield. During the visit to La Giralda school on Friday morning the shield was clearly visible behind Harry as he planted a tree in the grounds and on footage released by the Colombian government.

Harry is protected by a bodyguard holding a Kevlar shield
The shield – known as a ballistic briefcase – is also being used to protect the country’s vice president Francia Marquez, who is hosting the visit and who has been the target of several assassination attempts. Last year her protection team found 7kg of explosive buried in a rural road leading to her home in the south western province of Cauca.

Just two months ago her father and six-year-old nephew escaped unharmed after gunmen shot up a car they were in, leaving in riddled with bullets. Security websites describe the ballistic briefcase as a discreet close protection and a rapid-deployment safety device. Its non-threatening appearance and easy carry feature makes it ideal for executives, close protection officers and VIP bodyguards. It can be unfolded rapidly with one hand to provide a sizeable line of defense for ballistic and fragmentation threats.

Nuclear van

Meanwhile on Saturday at a traditional African drumming class in Cartagena, the couple’s security detail included heavily armed soldiers, police officers and sharp-suited private security guards. A van containing a chemical biological nuclear response unit joined the massive cavalcade of vehicles that arrived alongside the couple as well as a helicopter and drones, while snipers were stationed on a roof.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle play the drums on a visit to a drumming school in Colombia ( 
Image:
Colombian VP Office)
On arrival, Harry and Meghan were greeted by the booming sounds of drums and the school’s founder Rafael Ramos. After the opening performance, the Sussexes and Colombia’s Vice President Francia Marquez listened to local community members that included children, teenagers, parents, and elders, about the importance of preserving the culture of Cartagena, and specifically its Afro-Colombian roots. Cartegena is an area specifically being impacted by gentrification and a booming tourism industry.

Harry’s direct instructions

On arrival at the school in Bogota on the second day of the tour, Harry and Meghan were greeted by the school’s headmaster Serafin OrdoìnÞez as well as VP Marquez. In footage released by her office, the Sussexes can be seen arriving for the visit. According to professional lip reader Nicola Hickling, as the couple approach the headmaster and the vice president he tells Meghan: “Go ahead”, before Meghan takes the lead then tells her hosts: “There you are.”

Meghan’s Diana tribute

During the visit to the school, Meghan looked smart in a Loro Piana linen blazer, black trousers and Chanel slingbacks. And she accessorised her look with a nod to her late mother-in-law Princess Diana by wearing her butterfly earrings. It isn’t the first time Meghan has been seen in the earrings, as she was first seen wearing them as she headed on her first royal tour to Australia in 2018. At the time, Meghan gave onlookers a glimpse of the beautiful jewel-encrusted butterfly earrings as she pushed her hair behind her ears. She has also worn the earrings at the launch of her clothing collection for charity SmartWorks in 2019.

Meghan wore Diana’s butterfly earrings ( 
Image:
Colombian Vice-Presidency/AFP vi)Don’t Miss
On Thursday during a press conference given by the Colombia vice president, it emerged Harry’s late mother had planned to visit Colombia shortly before she died in 1997. Harry often references his mother during his public appearances and the vice president said: “I think Prince Harry being here today after the 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.”

Dad dancing

Meanwhile, also at the school, Harry was spotted ‘dad dancing’ echoing Prince William’s wild moves at a Taylor Swift concert. After the visit, footage of the trip to the school was released by the vice-president’s office, and it showed Harry shaking his shoulders and wiggling his hips, reminiscent of the clip several weeks ago that showed his older brother William dancing to hit Taylor Swift Shake It Off at one of her Wembley gigs.

Prince Harry dancing during a visit to a school in Bogota

Rare Archie comment

Elsewhere on the trip to the school, Meghan made a rare comment about her and Harry’s five-year-old son Prince Archie. There they visited a kindergarten class, where the Sussexes spent time with students, and worked on puzzles, while they conversed with the class. Meghan also exercised her Spanish skills for the visit. “You’re the same age as my son Archie!” she said to a student in Spanish. Harry also practised his Spanish, asking students their names and age. The kindergarteners also performed a song for the Duke and Duchess before presenting them with gifts and handwritten letters.

The couple visited Escuela Taller Tambores de Cabildo de la Boquilla, which preserves the art-form of traditional African drumming ( 
Image:
Colombian VP Office)
School CEO Diana Basto told the Mirror: “It was so special for us to have Harry and Meghan come and visit us and the staff and children were all very excited. It was a lovely experience to have them here. They visited various parts of the school including the memorial museum section where they learned about people who have been killed in previous conflicts in Colombia’s history.

“It was emotional for them and from there to the kindergarten and then finally onto the garden where they helped plant two trees. There was music and dancing as they went around the school and they joined in with the dancing. Then Harry had a go at the punching bag in the gym. Harry and Meghan were super excited when they were given the presents and because the children in the kindergarten are the same age as Archie.”

‘Symbols of resistance’

Meanwhile, throughout the three days of the four-day tour so far, Harry and Meghan have been joined by the country’s vice president Francia Marquez. And on Saturday on Cartagena following the musical performance at the drumming school, she gave an impassioned speech about the inherent importance of tradition when it comes to preserving Colombian heritage – hailed the Sussexes as as a joint symbol of resistance and two vital voices against injustice

Speaking to the crowd, which included members of her own family, she said that towns like Cartagena represent the heart of Colombian culture and the art of drumming in particular symbolises freedom for Black communities around the world. She said: “The Duke and Duchess came to Colombia…this is Colombia. This is where the roots of our ancestors and our forefathers are from. A community like this cannot be displaced.”

Flustered comment

During a traditional dance class, Harry and Meghan were seen smiling together as they took part, but the rosy-cheeked prince appeared a little hot and bothered during the visit. He wasn’t alone in feeling the heat, as others taking part in the class were fanning themselves while drumming away. A lip reader uncovered a quick remark the Harry made to his wife Meghan in the middle of the class. According to Nicola Hinkling, as he beats on the drums surrounded by onlookers, Harry says: “Ooh, this is difficult, Meg”.

The pair get to know their instruments ( 
Image:
Colombian VP Office)
And according to body language guru Judi James, Meghan was in her element at the loud and colourful event, but Harry appeared more reserved and slightly glum they walked in. She said: “Harry and Meghan have traditionally shared the lead role of some of their events in the past, taking it in turns to step into the spotlight.

“Day three of this tour though throws up some body language rituals that seem to suggest it’s still Meghan in the lead as she was from their arrival, stepping into the greeting rituals with a keenness, a perfect smile and almost regal grace while Harry appears to be lurking, waiting his turn or standing behind Meghan looking slightly downcast.