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When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle graced Colombia with their presence by attending a banquet hosted by Vice President Franer Marquez, all eyes were on the royal couple to see how they would conduct themselves. However, what transpired was less a display of poise and more a spectacle, according to eyewitness accounts of the event.
Meghan once again showed her talent for commandeering attention, reportedly shoving her husband Prince Harry aside to take center stage. The dynamics between the two seemed to shift quite dramatically, with Harry relegated to the sidelines as Meghan basked in the limelight. Where previously Harry was the one guests focused on as a senior member of the royal family, he now found himself outshone by his own wife on the international stage.
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Far from the glamour usually associated with royal visits, the venue itself left a lot to be desired. Gone were the days of glittering state banquets held in ornate ballrooms with menus of gourmet cuisine served on golden plates with crystal glasses. Instead, Harry and Meghan found themselves in what could only be described as the most humbling of settings - a school gymnasium.
The tables had been pushed together haphazardly, feeling more like a cafeteria lunch period than a diplomatic event of national importance. Paper napkins and plastic utensils replaced fine linens and silverware. It seemed the organizers wanted to remind the royals that this was no Buckingham Palace dinner.
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As the "banquet" unfolded, Meghan took the initiative to claim the prime seat at the most prominent table, elbowing past others and leaving Harry to fend for himself in a far less honorsble position. One can only imagine the humiliation the prince must have felt, relegated to the corner of a cafeteria table while his wife's dazzling smile was broadcast around the world. At least Harry still had the company of plastic table centerpieces - one of the few attempts at decorum in an otherwise spartan setting.
The random table arrangements only added to the overall awkward atmosphere. It was as though the organizers had made a game of putting the royals in the most uncomfortable situations possible. Harry, accustomed to opulence as a senior royal, now found himself stuck contemplating his life choices amid plastic flowers and a gym backdrop - quite a downgrade from Buckingham Palace.
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But the most striking part of the event was the blatant contrast between how Harry and Meghan were seated. While Meghan basked at the center of attention with dignitaries, Harry received the equivalent of the dreaded "kid's table" at Thanksgiving. One can only imagine the thoughts running through his head as he picked at his cafeteria food, likely wondering when things had gone so wrong that he had been relegated to second fiddle, even to his own wife.
And if the scene wasn't embarrassing enough, Harry then decided to start eating while speeches were still being delivered, showing just how out of his element he had become. It was unthinkable that a senior royal would display such a lack of etiquette, a sign of just how uncomfortable the circumstances had made him.
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Naturally, Meghan's behavior did not go unnoticed by observers. Some surmised she was merely playing her usual power games, seeking to subtly assert dominance at every opportunity. After all, Meghan has always had an ambitious side and a strong affinity for the spotlight - she's not one to fade into the background if attention is available elsewhere.
But it is Harry who seems to be paying the ultimate price for hitching his fortunes to Meghan's wagon. From turning down an opportunity to return to the RAF before their wedding, to essentially abandoning his royal duties in favor of Meghan's goals and ambitions, Harry appears to be living in his wife's shadow more and more. Even at one of the most pitiful excuses for a royal dinner, he still found himself as a supporting player to Meghan's leading role.
Let's also not forget that Meghan is no stranger to controversy. Since entering the royal family, she has shown a tendency to court divided opinions and media speculation with her unconventional approaches. This latest incident at the Colombian banquet will undoubtedly add another chapter to her reputation as a breaker of royal protocols.
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For Harry, this sad affair serves as a reminder of how far his star has fallen. Once a carefree prince with no concerns about upstaging senior family members, he now finds himself playing permanent second fiddle - not just to his brother William but even to his own wife Meghan. It begs the question - how much more humble pie is Harry willing to eat for the sake of his marriage? With the couple stepping back from royal duties, perhaps this banquet was really Harry's last supper, so to speak, bidding farewell to the life of privilege and prominence he once knew.
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In the end, Harry and Meghan's visit to Colombia, meant to herald UK-Colombian relations, devolved into little more than a spectacle. Through overbearing behavior and shocking indifference to royal protocol, Meghan turned what should have been a positive diplomatic occasion into a embarrassing episode that firmly established who was the real dominant person in the relationship. The question remains - how much longer can Harry's pride withstand playing supporting act to his bride's recurring moves to upstage him on the international stage?
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