Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's ambition to create an ‘alternative royal family’ image bombed as the couple did not receive the reception they expected during their Columbia visit. Instead, it sparked significant backlash.
The couple faced criticism for allegedly burdening the impoverished country with £1.5 million in security costs, and many perceived their actions as an attempt to outshine Harry’s family by conducting what seemed like an official royal tour, even though they had stepped down from their royal duties.
Noting that they can’t have the best of both worlds, commentators said, “They quit the royals, so why are they trying to do official visits and take attention away from the real royals?” one asked, while another fumed, “Meghan and Harry want to have their cake and eat it. But they need to decide if they want to be Hollywood stars or royalty, you can’t be both.”
Further, Columbian official Andres Escobar claimed, as reported by Yahoo, the couple was invited by the country’s vice president Francia Marquez “because she saw them on Netflix.” He added it was unfair on Columbian people as they had to pay for Harry and Meghan visit.
A source claimed that they are eager to be viewed on par with Prince William and Kate Middleton, but without the constraints of royal protocol.
“Both Meghan and Harry are keen to do more of these tours as that’s what they love doing and what they enjoyed most about royal life,” a source told .
“But they’ve been left embarrassed by this latest backlash, especially as they faced similar comments when they went to Nigeria. They want to help raise awareness to the issues some of these countries face and they know their profile can highlight that. They also know that these trips help elevate their status in Hollywood and in turn help their brand. They don’t want to stop doing them but are unsure of what to do next to win everyone over again.”
