Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s forthcoming trip to Colombia is another attempt to gain global attention, a royal commentator has suggested.

The Duke and Duchess of Sus𝑠e𝑥 announced last week that they plan to visit the South American country after they were invited by the couple’s vice-president, Francia Márquez.

Their visit will focus on cyberbullying, online exploitation and mental health, but the decision has raised questions over why the Sus𝑠e𝑥es want to go to a country the UK and US both advise travellers to avoid.

Katie Nicholl, during an appearance on YouTube podcast Kinsey Schofield Unfiltered, said much will depend on the kind of security the couple are afforded by Colombia and went on to explain why she thought the Sus𝑠e𝑥es want to go.

She said: “I am sure this is a trip that will generate a huge amount of coverage for them as a couple, for Colombia, for everything that is going to be discussed over the round table that is going to take place over the course of those few days. And it, of course, puts Harry and Meghan on the international map once again.

“I think so much of this and what they’re doing is about that international visibility.”

The Colombia trip planned for later this year comes after Meghan and Harry visited Nigeria for a three-day visit in May. That trip also raised questions about how secure the couple would be, but Ms Nicholl praised the security in Nigeria.

She said: “It’s apparently not safe to come to the UK, but it is safe to go to Colombia. I think when we look back at the last tour that they did, to Nigeria, the security was incredible there.

“But this was the military in Nigeria stepping up, treating the royals as if they were on an official royal tour. I suppose it’s going to depend on what kind of security they’re going to get when they’re on the ground [in Colombia].

“One can imagine it is only going to be at a government and military level and they will be well protected because of course they don’t have the benefit of royal security.”

Harry has taken the Home Office to court over the level of taxpayer-funded security he receives while in the UK after it was downgraded in the wake of his and Meghan’s stepping down as senior working royals in 2020.

The Duke told ITV recently that he is reluctant to bring his family to Britain because of security concerns. His last visit to the UK was made by him alone, to mark the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games.

Security expert Simon Morgan, a former royal protection officer with the Metropolitan Police, told Express.co.uk Colombia presents a number of risks to Harry and Meghan, including from drug cartels and far-left terrorists.

Mr Morgan told Express.co.uk the Sus𝑠e𝑥es will be in good stead in Colombia, but some may attempt to embarrass the Colombian government by causing an upset during the trip. He argued that risk profiles in Colombia and in the UK will be different, suggesting both countries should be considered separately in relation to the Sus𝑠e𝑥es’ security.

Some have speculated whether Harry and Meghan’s children, Prince Archie Harrison and Princess Lilibet Diana, will join them on the Colombia trip.

On this, Ms Nicholl said: “Clearly, they won’t be taking the children to Colombia, but… they’ve obviously received an invitation. They obviously feel this is something that resonates with them.

“They want to do it and, clearly, they feel the trip is safe enough for them to do… [But] when they’re making such a fuss about their security over here in the UK, where frankly they’re incredibly safe, it does seem an unusual choice of destination.”