Harry, Megan accused of hypocrisy over upcoming international visit

Eyebrows have been raised after the Sussexes confirmed they will visit a nation rife with safety concerns but not the UK because it’s “dangerous”.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are set to jet off to one of the most violent nations on earth, yet Prince Harry has said he fears for his family’s safety in the UK because it’s “too dangerous”.

On Friday it was announced that Harry and Meghan would soon visit Colombia following an official invitation from the Latin American country’s Vice President Francia Marquez.

Ms Marquez said she was “pleased” at the Sussex’s acceptance of the invite and hoped the visit would “illuminate Colombia’s role as a beacon of culture and innovation”.

The royals will take part in activates related to “cyber-bullying, online exploitation and the mental health impacts of these threats”.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, will visit Colombia. (Photo by Emmanuel Osodi/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Harry and Megan will visit the capital Bogota and well as the regions of Cartagena and Cali.

By some accounts, Colombia is considered to be in the top 25 most dangerous countries globally. The US State Department advises Americans to “reconsider travel due to crime and terrorism”.

However, while the Sussexes are seemingly comfortable with travelling to a nation with a high threat of terrorism, armed attacks and kidnapping they seem far more reluctant to step foot in the UK.

Colombian Vice President Francia Marquez invited the royal couple. (Photo by JOAQUIN SARMIENTO / AFP)

‘Nothing amazes me’

A former British former royal protection officer, who ensured the safety of the royals for years, told theDaily Mail that they had: “Chosen to visit one, if not the most, dangerous countries in the world”.

“But nothing amazes me (with the Sussexes) these days”.

In May the couple travelled to Nigeria which the Australian Government advises visitors to “reconsider your need to travel,” due to the “volatile security situation and threat of terrorism, kidnapping, violent crime and the risk of civil unrest”.

In an interview for a UK documentary, aired last week, Prince Harry said the UK was “still dangerous”.

“All it takes is one lone actor, one person who reads this stuff to act on what they have read,” Harry told ITV’s Tabloids on Trial, referring to his views on some newspaper reporting on the Duchess of Sussex.

“And whether it’s a knife or acid, whatever it is, and these are things that are of genuine concern for me. It’s one of the reasons why I won’t bring my wife back to this country”.

The Duke has shuttled to Britain on multiple occasions but the Duchess hasn’t set foot across the border since the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.

The Sussexes recently visited Nigeria. (Photo by Andrew Esiebo/Getty Images for The Archewell Foundation)

The safety of the his family was the reason why Prince Harry unsuccessfully took the British Home Office to court earlier this year in an attempt to get his security detail upgraded on his visits home.

His legal team argued he faced significant security threats which warranted more protection.

But the Home Office said Harry’s protection level should be “bespoke” as he was no longer a working royal.

Colombia one of South America's most unsafe countries. Picture: US State Department.

Colombia safety concerns

“We continue to advise exercise a high degree of caution overall (in Colombia) due to the threat of violent crime and terrorism,” states the Australian Government’s Smart Traveller website.

“There’s been an increase in foreign citizens, including Australians, who have been assaulted and robbed using incapacitating drugs”.

It cited terrorist attacks, violent crime, gang activity and kidnapping as key threats.

Two areas the Sussexes will travel to – the city of Bogota and Cartagena – are of a lower risk but a “high degree of caution” is still warranted.

They will also travel to the Cali region. While the city of Cali has the same risk as Bogota and Cartagena, the Australian Government advices people to “reconsider travel” to regional areas.

For decades Colombia was a no-go area due to fighting between the Bogota government and the rebel FARC group.

The security situation has improved as that conflict has lessened. Nonetheless, along with Venezuela, it is considered the most dangerous part of Latin America to visit.

Originally published as Harry, Megan accused of hypocrisy over upcoming international visit