The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were welcomed in Colombia as they began their four-day tour of the South American nation. According to reports, Prince Harry criticized Elon Musk following the Southport riots, saying that what happens online can turn into action on the streets within minutes. He also added that the public needs to be more cautious when using artificial intelligence (AI). He said, “AI is scary, and I think a lot of people are worried and uncertain about it. I think one of the solutions to that is education and awareness, because it’s becoming increasingly difficult to control what originates from the source, and therefore, all of us need to be able to distinguish between real and fake.”
And now I will be speaking with royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams to discuss this matter. Richard, welcome to the show. I’ll be straightforward with you, how can a prince living in Beverly Hills understand the reality of what causes riots on the streets of Britain, and why is he getting involved in this issue?
Well, the reason he’s getting involved in this issue is undoubtedly part of the Sussexes’ plan. We saw them briefly in Jamaica in January, then in May, they went to Nigeria and stayed there for several days. And of course, Meghan discovered that she is 43% Nigerian. Colombia, where they are involved now, is the Latin American country associated with Invictus. But more specifically, this is about online abuse and bullying, and they, the Sussexes, have founded what they call the Parent Network, which will help parents whose children have been affected or harmed by online abuse of some sort. There is no doubt that this is a commendable goal, but some have pointed out the level of crime in Colombia and the fact that Harry finds Britain too dangerous to visit while he is in a country known for its high crime rates.
Furthermore, Colombia is the 18th most dangerous country on the planet, where you are 22 times more likely to be killed than in the UK. So, the idea that Britain is somehow more dangerous is utterly nonsensical. But you say he is launching an anti-bullying initiative and he is the solution to this problem? Doesn’t it make his comments on serious British social and political issues even more peculiar, as he seems to think he can be the solution to bullying?
I think this is an effort, and I do applaud it because there are very serious issues involved. We saw a CBS trailer for this, and Meghan controversially brought up issues related to her own mental health. She said she didn’t expect to be questioned about it, but a clip from their Oprah interview was shown. There is no doubt that the Sussexes, and I think all of us, should be concerned about abuses in this area.
Society is changing very rapidly, and this is partly an excuse for the Sussexes to embark on international tours. The first black vice president of Colombia, Francia Marquez, is also very involved in campaigns. I would say that anything that helps is to be welcomed. As for the tour, it’s also very much an effort by the Sussexes to boost their international profile, and from that perspective, it is likely to be successful. It’s sadly worth noting that the king and queen, as well as the prince and princess of Wales, are unable to undertake these tours due to health issues, and royal tours, one of the best ways Britain projects its soft power, are something the Sussexes have jumped on.
