Meghan, Harry’s contrasting attitudes shine through on Colombia visit

The contrasting attitudes of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry during their visit to Colombia are evident.

The Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry have arrived in Colombia for their four-day tour, holding hands as they greeted the crowds. 

They landed in the capital city of Bogota on Thursday, August 15, where they were welcomed by Vice President Francia Márquez and her husband, Rafael Yerney Pinillo. 

Meghan wore a £598 Orlinda vest by designer Veronica Beard, while Prince Harry opted for a tailored navy suit. Although the Duchess of Sussex was beaming with excitement, body language expert Judi James suggests that there may have been a disconnect between Meghan and Harry’s emotions.

She told The Mirror: "Meghan's 'Hey, I'm here!' pose, facial expression and styling put her in full, confident A-lister mode here. Her eye expression registers a level of excitement, with her symmetric smile looking like a nod to a more regal approach, and her way of holding herself is celebrity-infused 'special' and far from casual, relatable and down-to-earth.

"She looks totally in her element, almost as though this is a moment she has been waiting for all her life. Her shoulders are splayed and her elbows tucked into her torso as she carries her large designer bag in one hand and allows her royal husband to tow her along with the other."

But when it comes to Harry, Judi says his expression is more one of hesitance, hinting at complicated feelings surrounding the trip.

"Harry walks ahead in less of a performative mode," she continued. "He forms a polite smile but his expression is a little more tempered and complex. His eye expression looks almost wary which could be natural given that he is a royal without the kind of protocols and even safety nets the Firm will have when they are on proper royal tours."

Indeed, Harry has been vocal over his concerns about security for his family and refuses to travel to the UK after his tax-payer protection was stripped following his departure to the US.

Security was tight today outside children's school, the Colegio Cultura Popular, in Bogota, where they received a tour.

Harry and Meghan will remain in Bogota on Friday so they can spend time with students to talk about emotional well-being in education.

The visit marks Prince Harry and Meghan's first joint trip to Colombia, and during their stay they will also visit the cities of Cartagena and Cali.