Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Colombia tour host sets record straight on who paid for trip

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s host for their eyebrow-raising tour of Colombia has lifted the lid on who footed the huge bill for the trip.

Last week, the Sussexes spent four days in the South American nation, which was dubbed a DIY royal tour after it had all the hallmarks of an official royal visit. It saw them visiting schools, enjoying musical performances, speaking at forums, meeting Invictus Games competitors and even learning how to play the drums during their events in Bogota, Cartagena and Cali.

Every engagement they attended was surrounded by heavy security, which included having an officer armed with a Kevlar shield to stop any potential shooter taking aim at the couple. Security detail also included heavily armed soldiers, police officers sharp-suited private security guards and even a van containing a chemical biological nuclear response unit on one visit.

It has led to questions over who exactly had financed the trip but now Colombian vice president Francia Marquez, who invited Harry and Meghan to her country and hosted them throughout their visit, has explained how the tour was funded.

In a statement put out by her office, it said: “This visit was the result of a collective effort. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex financed their trip and that of their team with their own resources. The events held in the various places visited were co-financed with resources from international cooperation and philanthropy that generously contributed to this visit. The Ministry of Equality and Equity and the Vice Presidency guaranteed the technical requirements, mobility and participation of young people, women and communities.”

When the tour to Colombia was announced several weeks ago, many questioned why the couple would visit the country, which has travel advisory warnings from the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office about safety there. It comes after Harry said it was ‘dangerous’ for Meghan to return to the UK and is currently embroiled in a legal challenge to have police protection restored for him and his family while in his homeland.

However, Ms Marquez’s office claimed that Harry and Meghan’s trip to Colombia was designed to encourage tourism and investment. The statement added: “The visit of Prince Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, helped to further demonstrate that Colombia is a country where global causes converge, a country capable of hosting diverse interests, as well as an attractive destination for investment, tourism and business.

“This is reflected in the growing number of international visitors we are receiving, almost six million in 2023. A progressive trend that has positive impacts on the international image of our country.