In a much-anticipated appearance, Meghan Markle’s speech on female empowerment at the Afro Women Empower Conference in Cali, Colombia, turned into a spectacle filled with unexpected twists.

Accompanied by Prince Harry, Meghan stepped onto the stage at the Enrique Buenaventura Municipal Theatre, ready to celebrate the contributions and challenges faced by women in the Afro-Colombian community.

However, what was meant to be a highlight of her trip quickly spiraled into a theatrical disaster.

Eager to connect with her audience, Meghan opted to deliver her speech in both English and Spanish.

She aimed to charm the crowd with her linguistic skills, but her attempt fell flat right from the start.

With a somewhat stilted Spanish introduction, she apologized for her imperfect grammar, stating, “I’d like to begin in Spanish because we’re in your country.”

Yet, her accent, which leaned more towards European than Latin American, did little to endear her to the audience.

As she continued, her Spanish seemed shaky at best, diverting attention away from her intended message.

Instead of resonating with the crowd, Meghan’s performance became cringe-worthy, highlighting her linguistic shortcomings rather than celebrating the achievements of Afro-Colombian women.

The awkwardness of her delivery overshadowed the purpose of the event.

Things took an even more dramatic turn during Vice President Francia Marquez’s speech.

A heckler from the audience interrupted, shouting a question about trans rights, which caught everyone off guard.

Marquez, maintaining her composure, assured the audience that her focus was on women but acknowledged the importance of supporting trans women as well.

The heckler’s outburst, while disruptive, seemed to steal the spotlight from the panel discussion.

Back to Meghan, her speech, which included praise for Harry and their daughter, struggled to shine amidst her linguistic missteps.

Her efforts to show solidarity with the local culture were undermined by her awkward handling of the Spanish language.

Critics were quick to point out the disconnect between her rehearsed lines and her actual fluency, leading many to view her attempts as insincere.

Her explanation of having learned Spanish in Argentina did little to assuage the criticism.

Many observers noted that her accent sounded more Iberian than Latin American, raising eyebrows about her authenticity.

This discrepancy added to the growing list of public relations blunders that have followed the couple.

Moreover, Meghan’s narrative of female empowerment appeared disjointed when juxtaposed with reports of her behavior behind the scenes.

Known for her controversial management style, which allegedly includes requiring non-disclosure agreements from former staff, her public advocacy for speaking out felt hollow to many.

This dissonance between her on-stage persona and off-stage behavior only fueled the backlash.

The event, initially framed as a celebration of women’s achievements, devolved into a series of missteps and uncomfortable moments.

From the heckling incident to Meghan’s lackluster Spanish performance, it became clear that the Sussexes’ attempt to enhance their public image in Colombia had hit a significant snag.

As the dust settles on this event, it remains to be seen how Meghan and Harry will navigate the fallout.

Their efforts to connect with diverse communities and advocate for important causes are commendable, but the execution has certainly raised questions about their approach.

With the spotlight now firmly on them, the Sussexes may need to reconsider their strategies moving forward.