The most recent international tour of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex was branded a success by most – but not everyone is happy about the expense.
When Harry and Meghan ventured to Colombia on their second international tour of the year, they were hoping to replicate the success of their trip to Nigeria just a few months prior. By all accounts, their jaunt to South America was praised just as highly, with team Sussex calling it ‘a great triumph’ – a view echoed by most newspapers.
Yet, it was revealed that the couple’s visit to the country cost almost £45,000, according to figures released by the office of Maria Fernanda Cabal, a Colombian right-wing senator. Cabal – a political opponent of Francia Márquez, Colombia’s vice-president, who orchestrated the trip and hosted Harry and Meghan – had previously dismissed the tour as ‘showmanship’ and branded it ‘wasteful spending’.
‘Did you know that the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex cost Colombians a total of $244,245,305 (£44,419.26)?’ Cabal’s office told The Telegraph. The sum includes internal transport during the couple’s visit, as well as security – for example, protection for the engagements held San Basilio de Palenque, the first African Freetown in the Americas, cost almost £7,500. In Cali, where the couple attended a music and culture festival, a forum and a meeting with young people, the security bill came in at just under £4,500.
The Sussexes’ trip was designed to offer them an ‘exceptional opportunity to engage with elders, youth and women who embody the aspirations and voices of Colombians… and illuminate Colombia’s role as a beacon of culture and innovation,’ said Márquez, when the tour was announced.
Harry and Meghan at the Centro Nacional de las Artes Delia Zapata in Bogotá
The Colombian government added that the Sussexes’ visit had helped ‘to continue demonstrating that Colombia is a country of confluence for global causes, a country capable of hosting diverse interests, as well as an attractive destination for investment, tourism and business… During this visit, the country received the attention of international media and the world who were given the message that Colombia is changing positively.’
During their visit – which took place across the main cities of Bogotá, Cartagena and Cali – the couple met activists to speak about the impact of social media on young people, and took part in a summit on internet safety. The pair also attended an Afro-Colombian festival and met the country’s Invictus Games team, among other activities. While the cost of the visit may seem sky-high, it’s important to bear in mind that tours and engagements, when they involve heightened security, are nearly always expensive. For example, in June 2023, King Charles took a 500-mile ride from Windsor to Yorkshire aboard the royal train to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway – a trip which cost just over £50,000.
Whatever the cost, it’s safe to assume that Harry and Meghan will conduct several more royal-adjacent tours. Speaking to People magazine earlier this year, the Duke confirmed that it is ‘hugely important for us to meet directly with people, supporting our causes and listening, in order to bring about solutions, support and positive change’.
He added: ‘There’s only so much one can do from home or over Zoom, so we look forward to travelling more because the work matters. Whether it’s the Archewell Foundation, Invictus or any of our other causes, there will always be reasons to meet the people at the heart of our work.’ All royal fans will no doubt be waiting with baited breath to see: where next?
