Prince Harry and Meghan Markle guarded by ‘immense’ security detail as they visit school on second day of Colombia tour

16 August 2024, 22:53 | Updated: 16 August 2024, 22:57

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were guarded by an “immense” army of security at a school in Colombia on the second day of their national tour.

The royal pair have been granted a full security detail for their visit to the South American nation, touring the country alongside its vice president Francia Marquez.

The royal couple joined children at Colegio La Giralda in the capital, Bogota taking part in an art class and visiting the school's gardens.

At least 14 vehicles, a slew of police officers and suited private security guards travelled to the Colombia school alongside the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, the Mail reports.

One reporter in Colombia added the "immense security presence" also included an officer armed with a Kevlar shield designed to stop potential shooters.

Meghan used the opportunity to practice her Spanish as she told one child: ”You're the same age as my son Archie."

It is understood the children performed a song for the Duke and Duchess before gifting them handwritten letters.

School CEO Diana Basto said: "It was so special for us to have Harry and Meghan come and visit us and the staff and children were all very excited. It was a lovely experience to have them here.

"They visited various parts of the school including the memorial museum section where they learned about people who have been killed in previous conflicts in Colombia's history.

"It was emotional for them and from their to the kindergarten and then finally onto the garden where they helped plant two trees.

"There was music and dancing as they went around the school and they joined in with the dancing. Then Harry had a go at the punching bag in the gym.

"They were super excited when they were given the presents and because the children in the kindergarten are the same age as Archie."

This came after Harry warned of the loss of "social cohesion" as he criticised the spread of disinformation online after the riots that tore through much of the UK earlier this month.

Harry told a summit on digital responsibility that "what happens online within a matter of minutes transfers to the streets."

He added: "People are acting on information that isn't true."

Harry also told his audience that "in an ideal world, those with positions of influence would take more responsibility. We are no longer debating facts.

"For as long as people are allowed to spread lies, abuse, harass, then social cohesion as we know it has completely broken down."

It came after riots swept the UK earlier in August after the killing of three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport. The disorder was largely sparked by false rumours on social media that the suspect was a Muslim asylum seeker.

Several high-profile people have been accused of failing to use their positions to quell the disorder, including Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, and Twitter owner Elon Musk.

Meghan used the opportunity to claim that everyone has either been the victim of cyberbullying or knows someone who has.

"It doesn’t matter where you live. It doesn’t matter who you are," she told the audience.

"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."

She added: “We should model how we want our kids to be raised and for the world in which we raise them."

Harry and Meghan arrived in Colombia on Thursday for a four-day tour.

They were greeted in Bogota, the capital, on Thursday by Colombia's vice-president Francia Marquez.

The pair spent around half an hour at the vice-president's home, where they exchanged gifts and ate traditional pandebono - a Colombian cheese bread dish.