Meghan Markle is known for her love of expensive and flashy jewelry, often sporting the most eye-catching pieces and this was no different during the first day of her trip to Colombia on Thursday.
And the Duchess certainly made quite an impression on her first day in South America, sporting £38,000 worth of jewellery.
The couple was welcomed yesterday in the capital, Bogotá, by Colombia’s Vice President Francia Márquez, who invited the couple after watching their documentary series on Netflix, and her husband, Rafael Yerney Pinillo.
Keen to look her best for the politician, Meghan donned her signature Lorraine Schwartz ‘Against Evil Eye’ bracelet, which cost around £15,000.
She then added an extra touch of glamour with her classic Pippa Small Kyanite earrings, which retail for around £495.
Meghan Markle wore more than £36,000 worth of jewellery on the first day of her tour of Colombia with Prince Harry.
The former working royal was also photographed wearing Princess Diana’s Cartier Tank Française watch, which cost £17,800 ($22,950).
The late royal wore it on several occasions before gifting it to Meghan after her death.
According to former royal butler Paul Burrell, Prince William initially chose the Cartier watch from his mother’s collection.
He told the British Fashion Harry chose her famous sapphire engagement ring, but later exchanged it with his brother before proposing to the Princess of Wales.
The Duchess then paired this with her £5,000 ($6,446) gold Cartier Love bracelet which she has owned since at least 2017.
Cartier’s oval strap is made up of two C-shaped halves screwed together. The only way to remove it is with a screwdriver, such as the 18-carat one included in the shipment, a feature said to be inspired by medieval chastity belts.
His outfit consisted of a £596 collared vest from New York label Veronica Beard and Matching navy ankle length trousers from the designer, priced at £349.
The Duchess of Sussex with Colombian Vice President Francia Márquez
The Duchess of Sussex with Colombian Vice President Francia Márquez
Prince Harry and Meghan arrived in Bogotá yesterday
Cinched at the waist to flatter the duchess’s slender figure, the chic ensemble was paired with black Manolo Blahnik high heels and a £3,647 cream handbag from Italian company Loro Piana.
Later in the day, Meghan looked in high spirits as she watched the South American nation’s folkloric dancers at the Delia Zapata Art Centre in Bogota, alongside Harry.
She looked chic as she donned her second look of the tour – a colourful maxi dress by Johanna Ortiz, who is of Colombian descent. The Duchess opted for the burgundy Navajo Weaver Metallic Tweed Maxi Dress, £1,668.
Although the dress itself looked brand new, Meghan wore a very similar look on her “quasi-royal” tour of Africa in May, wearing a £2,275 striped summer dress also by Johanna Ortiz.
The Duchess paired the ensemble with her £12,800 ($16,503) yellow gold Cartier Juste Un Clou necklace, which she wore elegantly over her collarbone.
She was seen sporting the striking piece during her interview with CBS’ Jane Pauley earlier this month, where both she and the Duke spoke about suicide while announcing The Parents’ Network, a campaign aimed at addressing child safety online.
The Duchess also wore a Vintage High Tea yellow gold coral and flower bead ring costing around £970 ($1,250), which is believed to be a new piece in her jewellery collection.
Meghan opted to wear her £150 ($193.39) Lanvin Arpège Sleeper gold earrings, which were made in Italy and described as handmade hoop earrings in gold-tone brass.
She styled her hair in loose waves after her previous hairstyle, for her second look of the day.
Meghan was spotted sporting her £5,000 Cartier Love bracelet alongside Princess Diana’s Cartier watch at the Delia Zapata National Arts Centre in Bogota yesterday.
Earlier, Meghan showed off her fashion prowess once again today as she stepped out in Colombia alongside Prince Harry to kick off their four-day tour of the South American nation.
Meghan was photographed wearing her £12,800 yellow gold Cartier Juste Un Clou necklace with her £150 gold Lanvin Arpège Sleeper earrings.
She has worn the fashion house on several occasions in the past, including to attend the ballet in New York in 2013 and for her cover of fashion magazine The Cut last year.
Meghan was also photographed wearing her Cartier Love bracelet and Princess Diana’s Cartier Tank Française watch, which are staple pieces in her wardrobe.
During the day, Meghan and Harry also attended a summit on digital responsibility at EAN University after being invited by the Vice President of Colombia, Francia Márquez.
She changed her outfit for the third time and wore her brown silk Victoria Beckham shirt, a modest yet stylish piece that costs a designer price tag of £597, paired with her La Ligne Colby trousers.
She continued to wear her Cartier Juste Un Clou necklace, but instead donned her £1,964 ($2,532) Birks Muse Citrine And Diamond Drop Earrings.
The Sussexes have a full security team throughout their visit along with Ms Marquez, who treated the couple to what has been dubbed a DIY royal tour, following a similar trip to Nigeria.
Over the next four days, the Sussexes will visit the city of Bogotá before heading to Cartagena and Cali as part of a “cultural and social” visit.
Authorities have kept the itinerary a strict secret, as some areas of the country are considered “best avoided” due to ongoing internal conflicts.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Development considers Colombia, like Nigeria, a high-risk destination in some areas.
“The FCDO advises against all non-essential travel to parts of Colombia,” the government agency said, adding that many armed groups remain active in the country despite a 2016 peace deal between the government and the revolutionary group FARC.
In her third outfit change of the day, Meghan continued to sport her Cartier necklace, but swapped her earrings for her £1,964 Birks Muse citrine and diamond drop earrings.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, attends the Responsible Digital Future Forum at EAN University after being invited by the Vice President of Colombia, Francia Márquez
In addition to several police cars and vans, armed soldiers were also deployed to protect Harry and Megan in a huge steel ring.
Roads were blocked and residents were forced to take long detours to get home or wait at checkpoints for the events to end before they could continue.
Responding to questions from reporters at a news conference ahead of her arrival, Ms Marquez said she was inspired to ask Harry and Meghan to visit the country after being moved by their Netflix documentary.
“I watched the Netflix series about her life, her story, and it moved me and motivated me to say that this is a woman who deserves to come to our country and tell her story, and her exchange will undoubtedly be an empowerment for so many women in the world,” said Márquez.
Ms Marquez described the Sussexes’ trip as a “very special visit” aimed at building bridges and joining forces against cyberbullying, online violence and digital discrimination, as well as promoting women’s leadership in Colombia.
The Sussexes’ team has not confirmed how the trip will be funded, whether privately, through Harry and Meghan’s Archewell Foundation, by the Colombian government or by other means.
The quasi-royal tour, which bears many similarities to the schedule of an official royal visit abroad, is the Sussexes’ second this year, following their three-day visit to Nigeria at the invitation of the West African nation’s chief of defence staff.
Harper’s Bazaar magazine, which is covering the trip as the only forum for discussion, said Ms Marquez shared her personal admiration for Harry’s late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales.
Meghan and Ms Marquez were photographed hugging each other as they greeted each other warmly, with Ms Marquez holding Harry’s hands in hers as they introduced themselves.
