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According to reports, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be visiting Bogota, Cartagena, and other areas of Colombia during their upcoming tour of the South American nation. The tour is set to take place in the leadup to the first Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children, an event that aligns with the Archewell Foundation's focus on issues like cyberbullying and online safety.
While the stated purpose of the visit is to engage with leaders, youth, and women committed to progress in Colombia, some royal insiders have expressed concern about the couple's true motivations and the potential implications of their actions. This tour may well have noble intentions, but it is clearly not being carried out on behalf of Britain. Yet Harry and Meghan still portray themselves as British royals to some degree. "It shows you exactly why the royals want these two kept as far away as possible," an anonymous royal source told The Blast.
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The criticism stems partly from the fact that Prince Harry has previously cited security concerns as the reason he is unwilling to bring his family to the UK without state-funded personal protection. However, the decision to visit Colombia, where the UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to parts of the nation, has been seen by some as a contradiction.
"It is dangerous there. Colombia at the moment, there is a lot of people being taken away and money being demanded for them to be returned," said royal author Angela Levin on GB News. "It is really ridiculous and it conforms to my long-term suggestion that they tried to manipulate the king." Levin's comments echo the sentiment held by some that Harry and Meghan are attempting to manipulate King Charles and the royal family - a notion that has been a recurring theme since their departure from royal duties in 2020.
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Adding fuel to the fire of criticism, reports have emerged that Harry and Meghan may be planning to costume themselves as the late Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh during their Colombia visit. Such a move has been described as disrespectful and inappropriate by some royal commentators. "The idea of Meghan and Harry dressing up as the queen and Prince Philip is just absurd and disrespectful," said one anonymous royal expert. "It's as if they're trying to playact at being royals when in reality they've turned their backs on the institution."
This alleged "cosplay" incident would not be the first time the couple has been accused of trying to capitalize on their royal status for personal gain. Earlier this year, Harry and Meghan faced criticism over their decision to tour Africa, a move some saw as a way to maintain public profile and relevance. There are also doubts about whether a Colombia tour at this time is in line with the UK Foreign Office's own travel advice for parts of the volatile South American country.
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As the controversy surrounding the Colombia tour continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how Harry and Meghan will navigate the delicate balance between their desire for independence and the expectations still placed upon them as members of the British royal family, even in a diminished capacity. One thing is certain - their every move will be closely scrutinized by an eager media and public interested to see how the couple responds to growing criticism of their public and philanthropic activities abroad. With voices already expressing doubts over their true motivations, Harry and Meghan face an ongoing challenge to convince both royal insiders and the general public that their priorities are well-aligned with the goals of their tour destinations. Only their actions during the visit itself will show if these doubts are justified or not.
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