Moment heckler shouts about trans rights throughout Meghan Markle panel
A trans-rights activist disrupted a panel involving Meghan Markle and the Colombian Vice President.
The Duchess of Sussex participated in the Afro Women and Power conference in Cali, Colombia on the final day of her quasi-royal tour with Prince Harry.
But before Meghan could deliver her empowering speech in Spanish, a heckler interrupted fellow panellist Francia Marquez – Colombia’s first Black Vice-President.
The activist shouted a question about trans-rights at Ms Marquez, who calmly responded: ‘I’m talking about women in general. We’ve got a programme for trans women as well.’
The riled-up audience member said no more and sat down. She was allowed to stay in her seat for the rest of the panel.
As the incident unfolded, Meghan, 43, looked out into the crowd and laughed to herself, before turning back towards the Vice President to nod with approval.
![Francia Marquez is interrupted by a heckler during a speech at the Afro Women and Power conference](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/08/18/22/88660719-13755473-Francia_Marquez_is_interrupted_by_a_heckler_during_a_speech_at_t-a-2_1724017086237.jpg)
Francia Marquez is interrupted by a heckler during a speech at the Afro Women and Power conference
![As the Vice President is heckled, Meghan looked out into the crowd and laughed, before turning back towards Ms Marquez to nod with approval](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/08/18/22/88659485-13755473-image-a-5_1724017198662.jpg)
As the Vice President is heckled, Meghan looked out into the crowd and laughed, before turning back towards Ms Marquez to nod with approval
When her time came to speak, Meghan proudly retold her go-to tale about how she wrote to Procter & Gamble aged 11 to ask the brand to change its sexist soap commercial.
The Duchess also paid tribute to her mother and gushed over her three-year-old daughter Lilibet.
‘[I] encourage our daughter […] at three she has found her voice and we are so proud of that,’ she said.
‘For me I find inspiration in so many of the strong women around me. My mother being one of them. Life is full of surprises and can be quite complex.’
Meghan opened her intervention at the debate speaking in Spanish and calling Ms Marquesa ‘my friend’, before going on to pay tribute to Harry in English.
The Duchess learned Spanish in 2002 when interning at the U.S. embassy in Argentina.
To a huge cheer Meghan said: ‘I would like to begin in Spanish because we are in your country, my husband and I, and I can feel this embrace from Colombia.’
![Meghan Markle speaks to the audience during the 'Afro women and power' forum](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/08/18/21/88658105-13755473-Meghan_Markle_speaks_to_the_audience_during_the_Afro_women_and_p-a-1_1724013487274.jpg)
Meghan Markle speaks to the audience during the ‘Afro women and power’ forum
![Meghan speaks as part of the panel at the Afro women and power forum in Cali](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/08/18/21/88656987-13755473-Meghan_speaks_as_part_of_the_panel_at_the_Afro_women_and_power_f-a-2_1724013493683.jpg)
Meghan speaks as part of the panel at the Afro women and power forum in Cali
![Meghan Markle on stage for the Afro women and power debate in Cali](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/08/18/21/88656367-13755473-Meghan_Markle_on_stage_for_the_Afro_women_and_power_debate_in_Ca-a-3_1724013523146.jpg)
Meghan Markle on stage for the Afro women and power debate in Cali
![Meghan (second left) speaks as part of the panel at the Afro women and power forum in Cali](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/08/18/21/88656473-13755473-Meghan_second_left_speaks_as_part_of_the_panel_at_the_Afro_women-a-4_1724013528588.jpg)
Meghan (second left) speaks as part of the panel at the Afro women and power forum in Cali
She said: ‘It’s incredible, so many, many thanks, because the culture, the history, everything has been like a dream on this trip.
‘Sorry if my Spanish is not perfect because I learned it 20 years ago in Argentina, but I’m trying here because I can feel this community and this feeling which is the best in the world.’
She added: ‘So thank you very much to the vice president, my friend, many thanks.’
A Colombian journalist said: ‘For Meghan to say my friend in that way is such a powerful statement and shows just how close they have become. People will take note of that.’
Meghan then continued in English to retell her childhood story about writing to Procter & Gamble. ‘I was very, very fortunate at a young age to feel as though my voice was being heard,’ she said.
‘And I think that is a luxury that a lot of young girls and women aren’t often afforded.
‘I was 11-years-old, and you may know this story, I had seen a commercial that I felt was sexist, and I wrote a letter, several letters, about it, and the commercial was changed.
‘When you’re 11-years-old, you realise very quickly that your small voice can have a very large impact.
‘I think it creates the framework to feel empowered to use your voice, because you know you’re being listened to.’
The Duchess often uses the childhood tale in her speeches and interviews, despite some questions being raised about its validity.
The account was stripped out of a Vanity Fair cover story in 2017 after ‘fact checkers raised questions about its accuracy,’ a biography claimed in 2022.
![Prince Harry joined his wife Meghan on stage for a group photograph after her speech](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/08/18/21/88657591-13755473-Prince_Harry_joined_his_wife_Meghan_on_stage_for_a_group_photogr-a-5_1724013559100.jpg)
Prince Harry joined his wife Meghan on stage for a group photograph after her speech
![Prince Harry on stage with his wife Meghan for a group photograph following her speech](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/08/18/21/88657451-13755473-Prince_Harry_on_stage_with_his_wife_Meghan_for_a_group_photograp-a-6_1724013562657.jpg)
Prince Harry on stage with his wife Meghan for a group photograph following her speech
![Harry and Meghan on stage for a group photograph after her speech](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/08/18/21/88657823-13755473-Harry_and_Meghan_on_stage_for_a_group_photograph_after_her_speec-a-7_1724013566344.jpg)
Harry and Meghan on stage for a group photograph after her speech
![Meghan (left) seemed delighted as Harry listened to a translation of the event in his earphones](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/08/18/22/88660741-13755473-Meghan_left_seemed_delighted_as_Harry_listened_to_a_translation_-m-8_1724017680287.jpg)
Meghan (left) seemed delighted as Harry listened to a translation of the event in his earphones
![From left to right: Yerney Pinillo, Colombia Vice President Francia Marquez, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/08/18/22/88660743-13755473-image-a-6_1724017615873.jpg)
From left to right: Yerney Pinillo, Colombia Vice President Francia Marquez, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex
![Prince Harry and Meghan attend a forum on Afro women and power in Cali](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/08/18/21/88657263-13755473-Prince_Harry_and_Meghan_attend_a_forum_on_Afro_women_and_power_i-a-8_1724013574086.jpg)
Prince Harry and Meghan attend a forum on Afro women and power in Cali
The anecdote was cut from the cover story ‘after consulting P&G and advertising historians,’ according to Tom Bower’s book Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the War Between the Windsors.
At the end Harry joined his wife on stage for a group photograph – holding hands on stage with her – and they were later due to meet ‘young people’ in the region before heading off to the festival later in the afternoon.
The Duchess wore a sleeveless white shirt with a patterned skirt, while her husband opted for another light-coloured shirt for the event.