After cultural experiences and a bit of dancing, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle ended the first day of their visit to Colombia with some serious statements about their major charitable undertaking to promote online safety. Speaking at the Summit on a Responsible Digital Future held at Bogotá’s Universidad EAN, Meghan explained why she thinks everyone should get involved in their quest to improve the culture of social media.
“We should model how we want our kids to be raised and for the world in which we raise them,” she said, wearing a copper blouse from Victoria Beckham and pants from La Ligne. “It doesn’t matter where you live. It doesn’t matter who you are. Either you personally or someone you know is a victim to what’s happening online. And that’s something we can actively work on every day to remedy.”
According to Harper’s Bazaar, Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3, did not accompany their parents on the trip to the Latin American nation.
On Thursday night, the pair appeared in a panel alongside Maria Ressa, who won the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize for her work fighting for press freedom in the Philippines, and Colombia’s Vice President Francia Márquez, who greeted the duke and duchess at her official residence earlier on Thursday. Márquez spoke about her own experiences with digital harassment after becoming the first Black woman to serve as vice president in the nation’s history, adding that she hoped society could strike a better balance when it comes to the media climate and online platforms that affect mental health.
During the panel, Harry discussed the Archewell Foundation’s new Parents’ Network project and said that he has been learning from the way that founders in the tech industry regulate their own children’s access to technology. “Other people might listen to the parents themselves,” he said. “You don’t need me to tell you that they don’t allow their children to use these platforms, which really says it all, let’s be honest.”
The prince added that he wanted to empower young people to “share their lived experiences” about encountering harm online in a purposeful way. “The purpose is a unified voice being able to go to the source of the problem to really effect change,” he said. “With the Archewell Foundation, me and my wife believe that information integrity is a fundamental right.”
Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Archewell Foundation via Getty Images.
Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Archewell Foundation via Getty Images.
The evening’s programming wrapped up a busy day that saw Meghan and Harry meet citizens of Bogotá from all walks of life. Following a breakfast of pandebono at Márquez’s residence, the pair traveled to Colegio Cultura Popular, a local charter school, where students were yelling with excitement upon their arrival.
Meghan and Harry were greeted by the school’s headmaster, Leonel Umaña Parra, and student José David, before heading inside to participate in a session where they heard students discussed their experiences navigating life on the internet. During the session, Meghan praised the students for being “impressive, smart, and savvy” and emphasized the importance of trying to be “self-reliant and not tech reliant.”
BOGOTA, COLOMBIA – AUGUST 15: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex are seen at Centro Nacional de las Artes Delia Zapata during The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s Colombia Visit on August 15, 2024 in Bogota, Colombia. (Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Archewell Foundation via Getty Images)Eric Charbonneau/Getty Images
Meghan started the day in a sleeveless navy top and matching pants by Veronica Beard, but following the school visit, Meghan made her first outfit swap, changing into a pink and cream jacquard dress designed by Johanna Ortiz. Meghan is a longtime fan of the brand, known for it, but her choice to wear the dress in Bogotá was especially apt. Ortiz was born in Cali, Colombia, and her work is well-known for drawing inspiration from the colors and traditional patterns of Latin America.
Along with Márquez, Harry and Meghan traveled to the the Centro Nacional de las Artes Delia Zapata Olivella, where they attended an event highlighting the artistry of Bogotá. After meeting the center’s director, Xiomara Suescún, and Minister of Culture Juan David Correa, they saw a theater performance and a folklore performance with music and dancers. Though Harry remained on the sidelines, Meghan and the vice president both got involved with the dancing near the end of the show.