On day three of her trip to Colombia, Duchess Meghan executed a flawless outfit change to tour San Basilio de Palenque.
Following a visit to a local drum school in Cartagena, Meghan and Prince Harry ventured to the historic village—referred to as Palenque by locals—which became the first free African town in the Americas when it was established in 1619.
Meghan has been flexing her style muscles throughout the duration of the trip, going from a colorfully patterned cutout dress to a relaxed business casual ensemble. Day three continued to set the bar high, with the duchess swapping the summery Johanna Ortiz set that she wore earlier in the day for a sophisticated all white look.
She tucked a sleeveless white blouse from Argent into a white maxi skirt from Posse. For a showstopping touch, she added a white wide-brim sunhat with a black ribbon, selected from Colombia-based brand Hannia Char. Finally, she completed the look with black sandals from Emme Parsons, a bag from Cesta, and an array of jewelry that included pearl drop earrings and her signature Cartier accessories.
Meanwhile, Harry also executed an outfit change. The duke stepped out in a light blue linen button-down with the sleeves casually rolled up to his elbows and a pair of white Loro Piana pants.
During their tour of Palenque, the Sussexes met with community members (greeting them with, “Hola! Azina-po-tabde,” a mixture of Spanish and the town’s indigenous language of Palenquero), explored a street market, and attended a local concert. Meghan said she was “so honored” to receive an invitation to the town in order to witness its “incredible history,” while Harry said the tour was an “incredibly moving experience.”
The nation’s vice president, Francia Márquez, also delivered a speech on the significance of Palenquen culture and history. “I wanted them to come here and discover the essence of who we are—our spirituality, our music, our culture and our ancestral heritage that is still very much alive today,” Márquez said. “In the midst of adversity this is what has helped us continue to be resilient. Palenque is in the heart of every Afro-Colombian.”
Meghan and Harry arrived in Colombia earlier this week at Márquez’s invitation. The four-day trip—which marks their first official joint visit to Colombia—has thus far taken them through the cities of Bogotá and Cartagena, and will later have them travel to Cali.
This visit is the duke and duchess’ third international trip of the year, following previous excursions to Canada in February and Nigeria in May.
Harper’s Bazaar is on the ground with the Sussexes as they embark on their four-day visit to Colombia. Watch this space for all the exclusive details.
