Harry and Meghan welcomed to Colombia in visit focused on children's online safety

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have begun their working visit to Colombia, where they will visit several cities and take part in events promoting mental health for young people, particularly online.

Harry and Meghan were welcomed at the residence of Vice President Francia Márquez in the Bogotá, the country's capital, on Thursday.

Márquez, a human rights activist and Colombia’s first Black vice president, said she will show the pair the country's cultural richness and the work its government is doing to fight poverty.

In a news conference prior to Harry and Meghan's arrival, Márquez said that the visit looks to address a “problem that concerns all of humanity today: cyberbullying".

She also admitted to being moved by the couple's Netflix documentary, and said: "It motivated me to say that this is a woman who deserves to come to our country and tell her story and her exchange will undoubtedly be an empowerment to so many women in the world."

The controversial six-part show saw the couple explain their troubled relationship with the royal family and why they chose to step back from the working monarchy.

Subscribe free to our weekly newsletter for exclusive and original coverage from ITV News. Direct to your inbox every Friday morning.

On Saturday, the prince and duchess will travel to the country's Caribbean coast, visiting San Basilio de Palenque, a town founded in the 17th century by runaway slaves.

They will attend a forum on “Afro women and power" on Sunday in Cali, a city on the Pacific coast.

The tour has many similarities to the programme of an official royal overseas visit.

It is the Sussexes’ second this year, after their three-day visit to Nigeria at the invitation of the West African nation’s chief of defence staff.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...