RAUL ARBOLEDA / AFP
British Prince Harry and his wife, American actress Meghan Markle, visited Cartagena and the historic former slave village of San Basilio de Palenque in the Caribbean region of Colombia on Saturday at the invitation of Vice President Francia Márquez.
During the morning, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex toured the tourist city of Cartagena de Indiascapital of the department of Bolívar (north), under a strong security scheme.
There they learned about a traditional drum school in an area known as La Boquilla, where they received a music class with these instruments handcrafted from wood and leather.
In the afternoon, the couple arrived at San Basilio de Palenque, about 50 kilometers from Cartagena, considered the «first free people of South America» after being founded in the 18th century by slaves who fled from their captors.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in Colombia
The colourful village, made up of a few hundred small houses and surrounded by lush vegetation, is home to some 3,500 inhabitants. In the centre of the settlement, at the foot of a church in the main square, hundreds of people eagerly awaited the arrival of the former members of the British royal family.
“It is the only town (in Colombia) where we speak a different language, which is the native language. We are African descendants,” he told the AFP Justo Valdez, a traditional musician and cultural leader of the community. «Palenque is a corner of Africa»he added.
Amidst singing, dancing, celebrations and drums, Enrique and his wife finally appeared accompanied by community leaders and Vice President Márquez.
The visit of the youngest son of King Charles III of the United KingdomIts purpose is to build bridges and open doors. “that allow us to join forces to raise awareness and address a problem that concerns all of humanity today: cyberbullying, violence in digital environments and discrimination,” Márquez told reporters on Thursday.
Her stay in Colombia is a prelude to the World Ministerial Conference on the Elimination of Violence Against Children, which will take place in Bogotá on November 7 and 8.
The couple severed ties with the British monarchy in 2020 and reside in the US state of California. Harry has had a distant relationship with the royal family since his departure from the UK.
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