Prince Harry and Meghan's Colombia tour an 'enormous expense', expert claims

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Colombian trip has been described as coming at "an enormous cost," with a former Palace insider questioning its purpose .

The couple, who are on a mission to combat online bullying, have embarked on their journey one country at a time, starting with Colombia . This marks the second 'quasi Royal tour' for the Sussexes this year, following their visit to Nigeria in May.

Their Colombian adventure kicked off in the capital, Bogota, last Thursday, with Cartagena and Cali also on the itinerary.

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Anthony Cawdron, a former Royal butler, told the Daily Express US that King Charles and the Royal Family will not be footing the bill for the tour.

He questioned: "My opinion of this is, why are they going? What is the purpose of it other than to just to be noticed for going? And, who has to pay for all of this travel?"

"I mean, if it's not a royal visit it's certainly not sanctioned by the royal palace and certainly the King and the Royal Family are not paying for it.

"To just have them there, the security and the costs and the travel, it's an enormous expense for somebody, and I wonder what the purpose of these visits - the one to Nigeria as well."

Cawdron, who served as a butler at Blenheim Palace in the 1980s before relocating to the US, currently manages the President's household at Purdue University, in West Lafayette, Indiana.

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A former Royal household staff member, who had the unique experience of meeting Princess Diana during her pregnancy with Prince William, is now a well-recognised figure at Purdue University after 24 years. Known for his encounters with aristocracy, he fields numerous inquiries from students and associates about the Royal Family.

Ever the diplomat, he extends Harry and Meghan every courtesy, suggesting: "I'd like to think they have the best interest of the people they are going to see, and that they're going for humanitarian reasons or reasons that are not purely for their own benefit."

Despite attributing positive motives to Harry and Meghan's travels, he questions the rationale behind their journey to Colombia, a country currently under a 'Level 3' US travel advisory urging travelers to reconsider due to crime, terrorism, and kidnapping risks.

Mr. Crawford commented on the couple's mission: "The vibe that they are giving is to protect young people from online harm, but why you need to go to Colombia to do that, I don't know."

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