Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Intensify Security for Colombia Trip

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are set to embark on day three of their Colombia tour, which kicked off on Thursday.

The couple has enjoyed several engagements since landing in Bogota, including a visit to a Santa Fe school, Colegio La Giralda, and a summit in alliance with The Archewell Foundation and Luminate. The summit brought together experts, leaders, and activists to discuss creating a more ethical online world.

© Eric Charbonneau

New photos reveal that the couple has increased their security measures to ensure their safety as they conduct engagements promoting the safeguarding of young people from online harm.

In a photo from Harry, 39, and 43-year-old Meghan’s visit to La Giralda school in Bogota, they are seen in a garden space surrounded by children while the Duke helped plant a tree.

© Shutterstock

Behind the Duke was a member of his security staff holding a bulletproof device over Harry’s head. MailOnline reported that at each event, the staff member would exit the car ahead of the royal couple, holding the shield, known as a ballistic briefcase, for their protection.

The device was spotted again in a photo where Meghan and Harry posed with school children and their teachers. The shield has also been used to protect Francia Marquez, the vice president of Colombia, who is hosting the royal pair and was the subject of an assassination attempt in 2019.

© Andres Castillo

MailOnline also published a photo of uniformed members of the military police standing outside the school with armed forces dogs ahead of the couple’s arrival.

One company selling the device describes it as providing “security and close protection officers with the ability to carry and quickly deploy protection, to shield themselves and the people they are protecting.”

© Eric Charbonneau

The device is described as “specifically designed to be durable and easy to carry while remaining concealed until the need for rapid deployment. The bag offers adequate storage space for essential documents and items with an internal pocket to enable an upgrade to rifle protection if required.”

With high profiles come extensive security needs, which Harry and Meghan have funded themselves since stepping back as senior members of the royal family and moving to California.

It has been reported that Meghan and Harry use a combination of guards and electronic measures to secure their Montecito home. During their Netflix documentary Harry & Meghan, the couple revealed that their security team is stationed around the land surrounding their property.

© Netflix

Forbes noted that their annual security bill could easily reach $2 to $3 million for their comprehensive security measures.

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Source: MailOnline, Forbes