The Sus𝓈ℯ𝓍es received a crash course in Colombian culture and focused on spending time with local students

The Duke and Duchess of Sus𝓈ℯ𝓍 received a rousing welcome for day one of their official tour of Colombia.

Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan had a packed schedule for their first day in the country’s capital, Bogotá, and kicked off their first joint visit to the South American nation with a formal welcome from Vice President Francia Márquez and her partner, Rafael Yerney Pinillo. Márquez, who in 2022 became the first Black woman to be elected vice president of Colombia, extended the initial invitation to the Sus𝓈ℯ𝓍es to tour the country, and she will be hosting the pair throughout their stay.

This week’s trip—for which Harper’s Bazaar is serving as the exclusive outlet reporting on the ground for the Sus𝓈ℯ𝓍es—is an extension of the core mission behind the couple’s Archewell Foundation: to show up, do good, and build a better future for the generations to come.

With that goal in mind, the duke and duchess spent the first day of their trip focused on spending time with local students and hearing from Bogotá’s local youth, teachers, leaders. Through conversations, Meghan and Harry learned how these people’s day-to-day lives are impacted by social media, misinformation, and a largely unregulated internet. Meghan described the crew of students as “extremely impressive, smart, and savvy,” and said that in listening to their shared stories, one couldn’t help but have a new dose of hope that the next generation is dedicated to shifting society’s relationship to our digital world.

The Sus𝓈ℯ𝓍es and the vice president of Colombia visiting Colegio Cultura Popular

In between participating in insight sessions and listening to students share their thoughts and concerns about social media, the Sus𝓈ℯ𝓍es made sure to break for selfies, hugs, and group photos with the students and staff of Colegio Cultura Popular. Excited screams broke out from teens and teachers alike as the couple toured the school’s grounds and made an appearance at recess. Each appearance, of course, also supplied a fresh peek at the duchess’s latest ensembles: Meghan had three standout looks for the tour’s first day, including a Veronica Beard summer suit, a Johanna Ortiz embroidered midi dress, and a rust-colored lounge look courtesy of Victoria Beckham and New York based brand La Ligne.

In the afternoon, Harry and Meghan received a crash course in Colombian culture, courtesy of a visit to the Centro Nacional de las Artes Delia Zapata Olivella, described as the “beating heart of the art of Colombia” by CNA director Xiomara Suescún. Along with Márquez, the pair sat in on a special theater piece, watched an energetic Colombian musical dance number (where the duchess and the vice president joined in on the dance floor), and received a vibrant Colombian welcome with a traditional carnavál performance in the center’s neighboring plaza. Each artistic showcase from the day was meant to channel Colombia’s cultural past, present, and future, and to highlight the CNA’s mission to building a more inclusive creative community throughout Colombia.

The Sus𝓈ℯ𝓍es finished off their first day with an impressive panel produced in partnership with the vice president’s office and global organization Luminate, which brought together activists, thought leaders, and change-makers to discuss how to change and influence our digital future for the better. Both the duke and duchess expressed how their dedication to changing the current digital landscape is a mission made with their own children—along with the world’s youth—in mind.

“We should model how we want our kids to be raised and for the world in which we raise them,” Meghan said during the panel presentation. “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.”