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France Márquez: "I met them on Netflix"

On August 15, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, landed in Colombia, dazzling the press: "British royalty" descended from the sky! Why did they come? France Márquez Mina, the vice president, invited them. What was the purpose? Simple: they financed a trip for the dukes to dedicate themselves to making an unfortunate...

On August 15, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, landed in Colombia, dazzling the press: "British royalty" descended from the sky!

Why did they come? France Márquez Mina, the vice president, invited them. What was the purpose? Simple: they financed a trip for the Duke and Duchess to dedicate themselves to an unfortunate "humanitarian tourism".

During their visit, they acted as luxury tourists: they visited vulnerable communities, received gifts, enjoyed gourmet cuisine, and were treated as superior beings. In return, they spouted some banalities in forums and chats, posed for "official" photos on social networks and took selfies with everyone who asked for them.

Why did France Márquez decide to invite the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to do "humanitarian tourism"? The answer seems implausible, coming out of Creole stand-up comedy. At a press conference, the vice president revealed her motivation: "I met Meghan and Harry through the media, but above all I saw the Netflix documentary about their life and story, and that moved me and motivated me to say: that is a woman who deserves to come to our country and tell her story. Their exchange will undoubtedly be a strengthening for so many women in the world."

Márquez, as a dazzled fan and a capricious child, used her power as vice president to meet the media stars who moved her. It's like watching a bad gringo comedy in real life.

Beyond the expense for their visit, it is worth asking: what real change has it generated in the communities they visited? What impact does this media display have on the lives of the people in those places?

Let's analyze the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex during their four days in Colombia. At the Colegio Cultura Popular, they debated with the students about social networks and technology. The questions are: what real impact did this talk have? What useful message could the Duke and Duchess have conveyed?

To begin with, the social networks of celebrities like them are not managed by themselves, but by teams of experts in image management. The Duke and Duchess are not experts in social networks for young people; What little they know comes from what their advisors have taught them to have a cordial and friendly conversation with the students.

There was no tangible impact on the lives of these students, either in the short or long term. All that remained were cliché phrases, obvious advice, selfies and the empty emotion of having met British royalty. There were no pedagogical gifts (such as books), nor agreements for scholarships or resources that could benefit the most vulnerable students. This visit was humanitarian tourism, a banal moment that only served for the Duke and Duchess to reinforce their image as empathetic figures concerned about the problems of youth.

After the staging at the school, the Duke and Duchess went to the National Center for the Arts in Bogotá, where they attended a theater performance and a colorful dance show. On this occasion, they left behind their role as humanitarian tourists to put on their royal crowns. They were offered a beautiful cultural show, designed for their entertainment, although, of course, the official version says that they were shown the artistic richness of our country.

Harry and Meghan's visit was, in essence, a show of neocolonialism, ironically promoted by a vice president who, in theory, fights against it. This is where the cultural neocolonialism of the tour began: our culture was exoticized, reducing it to a set of picturesque features that indulge the curiosity of first-world observers like the dukes, ignoring the complexity and real challenges faced by our artists.

Was there any positive impact on the National Center for the Arts? Some useful international convention, managed resources, or at least media exposure for artists? Nothing of the sort. The media did not mention what was presented in the show or who the artists are, they passed as anonymous; There are only photos of the Duke and Duchess as protagonists, smiling and enjoying the show. In short, the only "gain" of this visit was a few applauses.

Later, the Duke and Duchess closed their first day in Bogotá by participating in the Responsible Digital Future Forum, where they spoke about social media safety for young people. Although the forum featured quality experts and panelists, Harry and Meghan's participation brought the same thing to the table as their visit to the school: nothing. Two royals repeating clichés and the obvious about a subject they don't master. Of course, dozens of selfies were taken with those who did not want to miss the opportunity to be photographed with royalty.

On Friday, August 16, the Duke and Duchess continued their "humanitarian tourism" by visiting the La Giralda school in Bogotá. There, they enhanced their image of "child-concerned leaders" playing with young children in an art class and planting trees in the backyard, an eco-friendly activity that always gets a lot of "likes" on social media. Photos of the smiling dukes with children from a third-world country and the eco-friendly gesture were essential to their public relations campaign. The dukes are a sweetness!

This school is located in a vulnerable neighborhood, and the visit of the Duke and Duchess did not bring changes or tangible well-being for the children or the institution. The real winners were the dukes, taking with them publicity, empathy, followers, and some gifts from the children: two ponchos, some dolls and letters with messages that, hopefully, the duchess could have kept if she found one of them picturesque enough. The others, who knows, could already be in the trash.

The vice president said that this visit "enhances the socio-emotional skills of students, giving priority to mental health." Seriously? For many of those children, all that will remain is a photo and a blurry memory. Their daily worries, such as consuming three meals a day or the daily shortage of resources, are not going to change because they planted a tree with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

The Duke and Duchess then visited the Inclusive Rehabilitation Center, where they strategically arrived in time for a training session with Team Colombia of the Invictus Games, the sporting event founded by Prince Harry for military personnel wounded in combat. After a tour of the facilities, they pretended to "marvel" at the pool, the climbing wall and the gym. The soldiers, happy, presented the prince with a commemorative plaque, recognizing his dedication to the recovery of former soldiers injured in combat through sports.

As an anecdote, Harry and France Marquez's spouse played a game of sitting volleyball with the former military personnel in rehabilitation, while Meghan and France cheered from the bar. What a display of empathy, simplicity and kindness! A real media spectacle that well deserved another plaque for Harry.

But while photos of Harry playing volleyball with wounded servicemen circulate everywhere, the reality of Colombian soldiers wounded in combat is far less glamorous. They make up a population of 210,000 people, of which 58% live in poverty, 58% only reach the maximum level of high school education, 86% are not working, 26% have a disability and practically non-existent labor insertion, according to figures from the Directorate of Veterans and Inclusive Rehabilitation (DIVRI).

Faced with this worrying panorama of the Colombian ex-military, what positive change did the visit of the Duke and Duchess bring? None. There were no donations of prostheses, wheelchairs, or improvements in the facilities. The only beneficiaries were the dukes: Harry took home a plaque that reinforces his image as a celebrity committed to inclusion and disability, and excellent media exposure. Because of course, the prince even played volleyball with them. How moving! Lots of hearts for Harry's photos.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex then traveled to Cartagena de Indias, a city where neocolonialism and gentrification are breathed in the sea breeze. Their first stop was at the Cabildo de La Boquilla Drum Workshop School, where they joined a percussion class, played drums and participated in a performance with the students.

The media highlighted two "great" anecdotes: Harry and Meghan played drums with "a lot of rhythm" and Meghan even danced with the children. What a thrill! The visit was but an example of cultural neocolonialism, where the dukes turned traditional music and dances into simple objects of aesthetic consumption, ignoring their deep meaning for the community.

Beyond this, the children of La Boquilla were reduced to marketing objects to enhance the public image of the dukes, while their community, trapped in poverty and gentrification, continues to struggle to preserve their ancestral territory. The Raizal communities are seen as a "spectacle" for the delight of the tourist, in this case, the British royalty. Reinforcing negative stereotypes about Raizal cultures, presenting them as "primitive", "exotic" or "backward".

According to official sources, the dukes, experts in parenting and culture, offered local parents valuable advice on how to raise their children amid a reality that Harry and Meghan could hardly imagine. WTF!

In the end, the visit was a banal spectacle, more marketing for the dukes, who live by selling smoke, by projecting an image of charity and concern for the children of the world, while the reality of the communities they visit remains exactly the same.

The next stop was San Basilio de Palenque, the first free town in America. There they appreciated cultural samples and talked with leaders about cultural identity, structural racism and historical reparations for slavery. This pod seems like a joke: a British royal, descendant of the largest slave empire in history, giving lessons on racism and slavery. The visit lasted an hour; It was a "flash", they took longer to come and go. Neocolonialism in all its splendor.

There, the dukes acted as white salvationists, perpetuating a racial hierarchy where whites are seen as superior and non-whites as in need of ransom. Their presence reinforces the idea that Raizal communities are passive victims who can only be "rescued" by power figures. They need to be taught how to live their lives, overcome the racism and slavery that their ancestors experienced. In addition, the visit perpetuates stereotypes of poverty and lack of development, suggesting that these communities cannot improve without the intervention of white saviors.

To top off the visit, Meghan Markle attended the summit "Afro-descendant Women and Power: Voices of Equity" in Cali, where her interventions were limited to clichés and banalities typical of a self-improvement coach. The headlines highlighted her "nice" action of adjusting a fan for herself and how Prince Harry mingled with attendees to listen to his spouse.

And to close with a flourish, Meghan and Harry danced salsa, showed off their skills and the duchess said goodbye to Colombia in Spanish, as if that could erase the superficiality of her visit.

It is not yet clear how much the "humanitarian tourism" trip of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, invited by the vice presidency, cost Colombia. The Ministry of Equality promised a statement to detail the expenses, while the vice presidency mobilized time, personnel and resources so that part of the costs were covered by international cooperation agencies.

According to various media, the visit did not result in concrete agreements or specific projects, beyond the good intentions of collaborating with the Archewell Foundation of the dukes.

Who are the Duke and Duchess of Sussex? Prince Harry, son of the current British king, and Meghan Markle, an American actress and model. Harry, with no outstanding academic achievements or spokesperson for a cause; His only "achievement" is being born into British royalty. Meghan also does not have an outstanding career. The couple married and as in many families, Meghan disliked her spouse's grandmother, her in-laws and her brother-in-law, due to her race and temperament incompatible with her brother-in-law's spouse, according to royal gossip magazines. They decided to move away from the royal family and stop receiving money from their father (not to be a supporter). seeking to sustain their luxurious lifestyle through contracts and conferences.

Without notable skills or professions, they sell their image. Netflix paid them $100 million for documentaries that glorify their lives and portray them as victims of oppression, a trick that touches empty brains, as happened with the vice president of Colombia, who sees in them people to admire. Their popularity allows them to charge high sums for conferences and public appearances, such as the million dollars Harry received for speaking at a private JP Morgan summit in 2020.

Visits like these help them to have a huge media impact, monopolizing the international press. The more popular they are, the more money they make.

France Márquez stated that the visit of the Duke and Duchess was crucial to address cyberbullying and discrimination, promoting female leadership in Colombia and in the world. However, this is nothing more than empty promises. The reality is that the only beneficiaries were the dukes, who reinforced their media and monetary image.

Today, the disappointment generated by France Márquez is growing. As vice president and minister, her performance has been almost nil in terms of generating real change for the vulnerable populations she represents. Although he leads a ministry with resources to improve the lives of the population, his work is limited to appearing in the media with banal actions and without tangible impact.

The visit of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex is a clear example of their search for prominence. France Márquez not only managed to monopolize the national and international press, but also fulfilled her personal desire to meet these figures she admires. His performance seems more like a celebrity whim than a real government management.

After the visit, the children of La Boquilla will not have new drums, nor improvements in their facilities or in their food. Her role as Minister of Equality should focus on improving the living conditions of those communities, not on bringing celebrities for her own enjoyment. Who will be your next guest? That will depend on which documentary she watches on Netflix that moves her.

Diana Patricia Pinto

Social communicator and journalist, master's degree in Business Management and Tourism Organizations. Author of books of short stories and novels for children, young people and adults. She is also the author of academic books on tourism, communication, and politics. He writes avant-garde poetry, self-help and reflections. He currently has thirteen books published in different genres and themes. Director of Cartagena Post, an information portal of Cartagena de Indias. Creator of the podcast Plétora. University professor for more than 15 years, in the areas of communication and tourism in important Colombian universities. Creator of several innovative academic programs at a public university in her city. She has higher studies in Marketing Management, project management and university teaching. She is an opinion columnist for Latin American media and portals. On all social networks you find her as a @dianapatrypinto Website: http://dianapatriciapinto.com

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shartancashmore · 2 months

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What do you make of the moment when Kate shrugged William's hand on a Christmas show in 2019? The sugars use this to show how they actually hate each other, but I've always thought Kate just reacted immediately because they never did PDA and she was caught by surprise, as in to say "what are you doing? we're working"

I've been following the BRF since the Sussex drama, so I don't have decades the reflect on, but from what I've seen, it really seemed there was a no PDA rule. They also appeared much stuffy, even towards each other, with Kate standing straighter, making sure she was walking behind William, often keeping her hands in front of her as if to protect herself. But the last years, the seem more at ease in public, allowing some hands on the back here and there. And I've actually been wondering if H&M overdoing it with the PDA meant the BRF could actually relax a bit and allow some touching without looking unprofessional.

There isn’t a “no PDA” rule. The rule is that everyone is expected to be professional at work. And PDA - over the top PDA like the Sussexes - is not professional behavior in any industry, in any profession, in any country in the world.

William and Kate are affectionate and playful with each other. They always have been, long before Meghan had Harry in her claws:

Before their engagement: L - Graduating St. Andrews in 2005 C - Saying hello at polo in 2006 R - Paparazzi catching them making out. Date unknown, suspected sometime 2009 (based on William's hair).

Newlyweds: L - Canada, July 2011 C - Edinburgh, July 2011 R - London Olympics 2012

Early Parenthood: L - Christmas Walk, December 2013 C - Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, July 2014 R - Rugby World Cup, September 2015

Before the Love Bomb: L - Hiking in India, April 2016 (there's a well-known story from royal reporters on the India trip that William and Kate were close and affectionate until they spotted the reporters and photographers. Once they saw the royal rota, they immediately separated and became more formal/professional.) C - Private family ski trip, February 2016 R - Canada, September 2016

Before Meghan made her official debut with Harry and the BRF: L - Heads Together awareness event, February 2017 R - Wimbledon Men's Final, July 2017

And no, I didn't see "the incident" as Kate shrugging off William's hand because it was PDA. I see that moment as Kate adjusting her position in her seat and William briefly touching her. If you watch the clip, you'll notice that Kate's whole body wiggles; her shoulders, her trunk, and her legs. William just happened to touch her in that same moment. If she was shrugging him off, if she was recoiling from his touch, only her shoulder would have moved. It was a harmless, normal moment that happens to everyone.

Others may see it differently, and that's fine.

Harry and Meghan overdoing it with the PDA didn't open any doors for anyone to be more affectionate or show more affection. All they did was highlight the difference between working professionals who a) know they're on the job, b) know their roles for the job, and c) know that their job is bigger than their individual needs and people who think their love and togetherness is more important than the job.

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