Meghan Markle's royal Fiji visit cut short over 'security risk'
Words by Sarah Carty.
Meghan Markle was forced to cut short an official royal appearance today, after Kensington Palace deemed it a ‘security risk’.
The 37-year-old Duchess of Sussex was visiting Suva Municipal Market to meet some of the female vendors who have been involved in the UN Women’s project ‘Markets for Change’.
She was supposed to spend about 20 minutes mingling with the locals, however, her visit ended abruptly after six minutes, with Meghan escorted out of the building by officials.
According to numerous reports, Kensington Palace came to the conclusion that the crowds were too big and decided to pull the plug early on the scheduled appearance.
Meghan’s protection officer can be seen in the photos putting her hands out in front of the pregnant royal and trying to keep people back.
Indeed, the marketplace was jammed with locals hoping to catch a glimpse of the Duchess who was dressed in a £1,250 silk wrap dress from Figue.
It came after both Meghan and her husband, 34-year-old Prince Harry, visited the University of the South Pacific campus in Suva, where they watched a cultural performance on the effects of climate change earlier in the day.
Then, Meghan gave a short speech where she spoke about the importance of education and her own experience at university.
“As a university graduate, I know the personal feeling of pride and excitement that comes with attending university,” she began.
“From the moment you receive your acceptance letter to the exams you spend countless late nights studying for, the lifelong friendships you make with your fellow alumni to the moment that you receive your diploma, the journey of higher education is an incredible, impactful and pivotal one.
“I am also fully aware of the challenges of being able to afford this level of schooling for many people around the world, myself included.”
Tomorrow, the Duke and Duchess will unveil the Labalaba Statue in Nadi in Western Fiji before departing for Tonga.
Meghan’s ‘security risk’ comes just days after Kensington Palace announced that she would be cutting back on the amount of events she attends as part of the pair’s gruelling 16-day schedule on tour.
“After a busy programme, The Duke and Duchess have decided to cut back The Duchess’s schedule slightly for the next couple of days, ahead of the final week and a half of the tour,” Kensington Palace announced in a statement on Saturday.
It was reported that Meghan’s pregnancy was ‘taking its toll’ on her.
The Duchess took a short rest in Fraser Island however she was back on royal duty last night for an official welcome ceremony in Fiji.
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