Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have revealed they have donated several batteries, a learning environment and improvements to a “social-emotional gym” to the people of Colombia following their quasi-royal tour.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced the gifts alongside a new video montage from the trip, which shows them visiting various locations alongside Colombian Vice President Francia Marquez.
The couple’s statement highlighted their goal to “show up and do good, no matter where we are in the world” through their charity, The Archewell Foundation.
The drummers will be transferred to the Cabildo Drum School, where they were seen enjoying a lesson.
The couple will also donate funds that will be used to improve a “safe environment for local children to explore, learn and connect in San Basilio de Palenque.”
They are also expanding the ‘socio-emotional gymnastics program’ at La Giralda School.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made a series of donations to conclude their tour of Colombia this week, including handing out school supplies to young students across the country.
The couple were invited to the country by Colombian Vice President Francia Márquez (center right) for their pseudo-royalty tour.
The three donations aim to “move towards a more equitable and compassionate world,” the royals said.
‘Each of these initiatives underscores our commitment to making a difference and supporting programs that uplift and empower individuals and communities.’
Your contributions to the learning environment in San Basilio de Palenque will aim to provide local children with resources that enable them to go to school and learn safely.
And the expansion of a “socio-emotional gym” at La Giralda School aims to promote fundamental early childhood learning skills such as conflict resolution and emotional resilience.
Although the couple faced accusations that their massive security expenses cost the country more than $1.5 million, Colombian officials have insisted that the couple financed the entire trip themselves along with funds from international agencies.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry visit Cartagena, Colombia, on August 17, one of three major Colombian cities they stopped in during the quasi-royal tour
Prince Harry joined his wife Meghan on stage after she spoke at an event focused on empowering Afro-Colombian women.
Prince Harry and Meghan arrive in San Basilio de Palenque, Colombia on Saturday 17 August
In their newly released clip, Harry and Meghan showed off never-before-seen footage from their trip.
The images show the couple dancing with local children, addressing a large crowd and visiting numerous culturally significant places in Colombia.
They began their trip in Bogotá with the vice president, where they reportedly dined on a traditional Colombian cheese bread called pan de bono.
As part of their efforts through the Archewell Foundation, the couple spent a significant amount of time with local school children and immersed themselves in Colombian culture.
During a trip to a school, Meghan reportedly compared one of the students to the couple’s five-year-old son, Archie, speaking in Spanish, telling him: “You’re the same age as my son, Archie!”
On their trip, the couple spent a significant amount of time with local school children and immersed themselves in Colombian culture.
But his trip was not welcomed with open arms, with local media accusing his quasi-royal tour of costing Colombia more than $1.5 million in security expenses.
The £375,000-a-day cost involved 3,000 police and soldiers, plus helicopters, sniffer dogs, bomb disposal units and an ever-present guard armed with a bulletproof case or a bulletproof shield in case of a sniper attack.
But the cost of security for a country facing huge socioeconomic problems – a third live below the poverty line – has angered many, including the security chief of the city council of Cali, where the couple ended their tour on Sunday.
Writing in X under a report on the cost of security for CW Noticias, Andrés Escobar said: ‘Billions that could have been used to expand coverage of children’s canteens, pay salaries to community mothers, seed capital for Afro communities or adapt sports venues that are practically in ruins.’
After the allegations were made, Harry and Meghan said they funded their own travel expenses, along with some funding from international agencies.
Spanish outlet El País reported that Colombia’s Ministry of Equality and Equity said: ‘The Duke and Duchess of Sussex financed their trip and that of their team with their own resources.’
