Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have wrapped up their four-day visit to Colombia, which was arranged by the country's vice president, Francia Márquez. Throughout the quasi-royal tour, as many skeptics have dubbed it, they spread their philanthropic efforts in the South American country. While they were met with open arms in Colombia, the government had to foot a hefty bill for their Californian royalty.

It seems Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have put a nearly two million dollar dent in the country's coffers, for just one aspect of their visit.

Ever since Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s Colombian tour was announced, one question that struck everyone was why the Duke, who refused to bring his wife to the UK for insufficient security, is ready to take her to a country on high alert for crime and terrorism. The couple had also received some backlash for this seemingly hypocritical stance. However, it turns out that Prince Harry did take all the measures to ensure his and Markle’s safety. And it was this top-notch security that cost the Colombian government $1.95 million.

There was heavy security present for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex throughout the tour. This included a fleet of at least 16 armed police vehicles and a contingent of officers and soldiers on patrol. The area they entered, a part of the Colombian capital known as a no-go zone, had its roads blocked off. Their security setup also featured a bulletproof briefcase and had a member carrying a folding shield at each event. While the Sussexes did what was necessary to ensure their safety, not everyone appreciated their measures. 

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A security personnel has criticized the couple for their expensive tour at a time when Colombia is grappling with socio-economic issues. 

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s ongoing tours have already ruffled feathers among senior members of the royal family and royal commentators. Now, the couple has also earned the wrath of security personnel. After their four-day visit, Andrés Escobar, a member of the council for the Colombian city of Cali, took to X to fire some heated shots at the couple. The Colombian security chief saw the whole tour as the practice of “handing over our resources in exchange for smoke and mirrors”. 

Escobar pointed out how all that money could have been used to expand coverage of children's canteens, pay community mothers' salaries, provide seed capital for Afro communities, or refurbish sports venues. Instead, the Colombian government chose to spend "taxes on 'rich white people' for the photo and the social chronicle”. So far, it seems, much like the Nigerian tour, the Colombian visit will also not pass without some heavy backlash for the Sussexes. 

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What do you think about Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's costly Colombian tour? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!