Meghan Markle interrupts panel discussion and receives rapturous applause from Colombia’s Vice President
The Duchess of Sussex, 43, joined a panel dedicated to highlighting and uplifting Afro-Colombian women
Meghan Markle interrupted a panel discussion and received rapturous applause from Colombia’s Vice President.
The Duchess of Sussex, 43, joined a panel dedicated to highlighting and uplifting Afro-Colombian women on August 18.
During the discussion, Meghan walked to the side of the stage to adjust a fan to face the panellists, which was recorded in a video.
Colombian Vice President Francia Marquez, who was on stage with Meghan, started applauding and the other panellists laughed as they realised what the duchess was doing.
Francia Marquez and Meghan Markle
Meghan Markle interrupts panel discussion and receives rapturous applause from Colombia’s Vice PresidentLe Studio Photography
As she returned to her seat, Meghan quipped in Spanish: “Women helping women”.
A fellow panellist replied in Spanish: “Well done, thank you. And what’s more, [women] resolving the situation, thank you so much.”
Meghan then connected the move to how making women feel comfortable can inspire them to be their best selves.
She added: “You see something wrong, you go to fix it. Maybe that’s just a very female thing — whether it’s a fan or something else.
“That’s what we do, right, as women — we’re multitaskers, and we are fixers.”
Meghan showed off her Spanish-speaking skills throughout the royal tour. At one point, she removed an earpiece used for translation assistance and spoke in Spanish to the audience.
The mother-of-two expressed “her deep appreciation for the Colombian hospitality”.
The 43-year-old also “praised the culture and history of the country, describing the visit as a dream and highlighting the strong sense of community she felt”, according to the Sussexes’ website.
When she finished her remarks, the Duchess of Sussex mimed wiping sweat from her forehead and let out a “phew” to applause from the crowd.
She also spoke Spanish while visiting a kindergarten class, telling one boy in the language: “You’re the same age as my son,” referencing five-year-old Prince Archie.
Following the panel, Meghan did some translating for Prince Harry as they addressed the crowd at the Petronio Music Festival in Cali, celebrating Afro-Colombian music and dance.
Meghan honed her language abilities while she interned at the US Embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and studied abroad in Madrid, Spain.
