‘Wasteful spending’ slammed as true cost of Harry and Meghan’s visit to Colombia revealed

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have come under fire for their extravagant spending after it was revealed that their trip to Colombia cost the country an estimated £6,500 per day. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s visit drew criticism from Senator Maria Fernanda Cabal, who lambasted the trip as “Royal wasteful spending”, according to Semana.

The senator also took a swipe at Vice President Francia Marquez for extending an invitation to the Royal couple after watching their Netflix series. They added: “After Francia Marquez saw the story of Harry and Meghan on Netflix, she brought them to Colombia for seven days at a daily cost of no less than 34,892,186 pesos (6,426 GBP) money that belongs to Colombians.”

Figures suggest that the brief visit by Harry and Meghan racked up costs of around £45,000 in total, a hefty sum for a country currently grappling with numerous issues, including a healthcare crisis.

This isn’t the first time the couple’s Colombian trip has sparked controversy. Earlier this year, local media reported that the security detail alone for the pair had cost approximately £1.5m.

A report, now removed by CW Noticias, alleged that around 3,000 personnel were assigned to ensure the safety of Harry and Meghan during their stay. Following their visit, right-wing councillor for the city of Cali Andres Escobar retweeted the now-deleted claims and said: “We continue with an ancient practice: handing over our resources in exchange for smoke and mirrors.”, reports the Express.

“Billions that could have been used to expand coverage of children’s soup kitchens, pay salaries for community mothers, seed capital for Afro communities or adapt sports venues that are practically in ruins.”

Back in Blighty, Harry and Meghan’s jaunt to South America hasn’t gone unnoticed, with some Brits taking a dim view. A recent poll on the impact of their trip saw one commenter vent: “[Harry and Meghan] are not working royals and as such this is not a Royal Tour.”

“It is simply a freebie holiday to keep them in the limelight which is paramount to them, without which they would be what they actually are, nonentities.”