Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Speak Spanish While Visiting Kindergarten Students in Colombia

“You’re the same age as my son, Archie!” the Duchess of Sussex told one child.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex pose for a photo at Centro Nacional de las Artes Delia Zapata during a visit to Colombia on August 15, 2024 in Bogota, Colombia.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are flexing their linguistic muscles during their high-profile visit to Colombia.

On Friday, Aug. 16, the second day of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's trip to the South American country, the pair visited a local school to speak to students about the importance of social-emotional learning and why it should be included in a child's education.

During the visit, Markle spoke Spanish to a class of Kindergarteners, telling one child that they had at least one thing in common with her son, Archie.

"You’re the same age as my son, Archie!" the Duchess told the child while speaking Spanish, People reports. Prince Harry and Markle are also the proud parents of daughter Lilibet.

Apparently, Markle was rather proficient when it came to testing the use of her Spanish skills, according to one person who was present during the royal couple's visit.

Meghan Markle in colombia

Meghan Markle in Colombia.

(Image credit: Courtesy of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex)

“She spoke Spanish perfectly with one young woman,” Father Greg Boyle, who works with Homeboy Industries to help support people re-entering life and the workforce following an incarceration or gang involvement, told People.

“She just went right into Spanish, which was a revelation," he added, "and it was very good.”

On day one of the couple's visit, they also highlighted the importance of learning and practicing personal online safety, especially as online bullying is on the rise and more young people are experiencing suicidal ideation as a result.

While visiting Bogotá, Colombia, they took part of a panel discussion, titled The Path Towards a Responsible Digital Future, alongside Colombia's Vice President Francia Márquez and co-founder and CEO of Rappler and Nobel Peace Laureate Maria Ressa.

“With the Archewell Foundation, me and my wife believe that information integrity is a fundamental right,” Prince Harry said during the discussion, as reported by People. “For as long as people are allowed to spread lies, abuse, then social cohesion as we know it has completely broken down Now what happens online within a matter of minutes transfers to the streets.”

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex are seen at Centro Nacional de las Artes Delia Zapata during The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's Colombia Visit on August 15, 2024 in Bogota, Colombia.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex are seen at Centro Nacional de las Artes Delia Zapata during The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's Colombia Visit on August 15, 2024 in Bogota, Colombia.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Markle has also been flexing her fashion muscle, of course, during the high-profile visit. On day one, she sported a tailored vest and coordinating trousers by Veronica Beard, a California-based label. She also wore a Johanna Ortiz cut-out dress while flaunting a color-coordinated her white manicure.

According to an initial report from Harper's Bazaar, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are scheduled to spend the entire week hosting various sessions with regional leaders about digital literacy and online safety. In addition, they will attend events that purposefully highlight the music, dance, and theater culture of Colombia.

Danielle Campoamor
Weekend Editor

Danielle Campoamor is Marie Claire's weekend editor covering all things news, celebrity, politics, culture, live events, and more. In addition, she is an award-winning freelance writer and former NBC journalist with over a decade of digital media experience covering mental health, reproductive justice, abortion access, maternal mortality, gun violence, climate change, politics, celebrity news, culture, online trends, wellness, gender-based violence and other feminist issues. You can find her work in The New York Times, Washington Post, TIME, New York Magazine, CNN, MSNBC, NBC, TODAY, Vogue, Vanity Fair, Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire, InStyle, Playboy, Teen Vogue, Glamour, The Daily Beast, Mother Jones, Prism, Newsweek, Slate, HuffPost and more. She currently lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and their two feral sons. When she is not writing, editing or doom scrolling she enjoys reading, cooking, debating current events and politics, traveling to Seattle to see her dear friends and losing Pokémon battles against her ruthless offspring. You can find her on X, Instagram, Threads, Facebook and all the places.