Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been sent a warning over “furious criticism” that they could receive if they do decide to bring their two children to Colombia this week.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will arrive in South America on Thursday for their four-day tour. They will pay a visit to Bogota, as well as to the regions of Cartagena and Cali.
It remains unknown whether Meghan and Harry are set to bring Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3, with them to the South American country – but royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams has warned that they could face criticism if they do.
The expert told Express.co.uk: “I think the security angle of Colombia, the fact it has a reputation as being dangerous, certainly in certain areas, makes it impossible for them to bring Archie and Lili without bringing furious criticism, including from many in the US, on their heads.”
Prince Harry recently voiced his fears when visiting the UK, especially include worries for his young family. Mr Fitzwilliams has now said that by bringing Archie and Lilibet to a place deemed as “dangerous”, it would cause a “disastrous” reaction for the public.
Express.co.uk has contacted the Sussexes’ representatives to find out whether they are bringing Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet to Colombia.
Mr Fitzwilliams added: “If London is ‘too dangerous’, what about Nigeria or Colombia, even if the government arranges security.
“If it’s about perceptions and those visits, whether royal or quasi-royal are, taking their children there would be disastrous.”
Meghan and Harry had been invited by the country’s vice president Francia Márquez, and are expected to have a jam-packed schedule from meeting leaders to discussing concerns with cyberbullying.
After the couple accepted her invitation, VP Marquez said: “I am pleased to announce that Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have kindly accepted my invitation to visit our beautiful country.”
As the conference aims to unveil a “framework for creating safer physical and digital spaces, tackling issues such as cyberbullying, online exploitation, and the mental health impacts of these threats”, the host nation will hope to seek expertise from the Duke and Duchess about this topic.
Harry and Meghan are also expected to engage in conversations about the topic of online safety during their visit. Speaking on this, the vice president said: “During their visit, the Duke and Duchess, as well as the Archewell Foundation, will engage in several activities related to this important topic.
“The Archewell Foundation, founded by the Duke and Duchess, is renowned for its global leadership in fostering a safer online environment.”
