The Royalty Nerd

King Charles III and Queen Camilla visited Kenya this past week on a state visit! The UK and Kenya have a long history which includes colonization, occupancy, and war. The royal family and Kenya also have a significant relationship; Queen Elizabeth II was in Kenya when she received the news of her father’s passing and therefore her rise to the throne, the now Prince of Wales proposed to the Princess of Wales in Kenya, and both the UK and Kenya are part of the Commonwealth.

With this in mind, this trip, as the first visit to Kenya as King, was a big one. It was also a trip with some wild weather and cute animals, so let’s get into it:

Day 1: October 31st- Nairobi

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The trip kicked off with President William Ruto and First Lady Rachel Ruto greeting the King and Queen at State House.

The King was then presented with Commanders of the Kenyan air force, army, and navy, as well as the Chief of Kenyan Defence Forces. He observed a royal salute as well as a 21 gun salute.

Queen Camilla then sat down with the First Lady to take a look at the work of the organization Mama Doing Good. I found this really interesting; Mama Doing Good was founded by Rachel Ruto in 1997 and focuses on environmental issues, faith diplomacy, and empowering women. The organization has created programs with specific focuses:

• Joyful Women: This programme supports women gaining a financial foothold through table banking, which involves groups of women coming together to pool their money and resources in order for other women in the program to take out loans, save money, and contribute to lifting up their fellow women.
• Carakana: This involves the preservation of Indigenous skills through teaching women in vulnerable positions how to create homemade goods and art, which then can translate into a way of supporting themselves and their families. For instance, scarves, needlepoint, and candle holders are all being taught and then created to women that have just left prison!
• Mama Cycling: Mama Cycling brings together bike enthusiasts and professionals in cycling in order to promote a healthy and active lifestyle.
• Mama Feeding: Mama Feeding is a programme that provides education to children in vulnerable positions that might not have the access otherwise through feeding programmes, which is obviously a win-win.
• The Rear Guard: This programme is focused on upholding family and national values (whatever that may be, my Google searches came back with car part advertisements).

Later on, the royals visited Uhuru Gardens, where King Charles III laid a wreath at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

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They are standing in front of the Mugumo tree, which grows in the exact spot where, in 1963, the British Union Jack flag was lowered and the flag of Kenya was raised. The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, attended the occasion!

There is also a new museum in Uhuru Gardens which aims to open sometime in 2024. It is focused on Kenya’s history and road to independence. Apparently, when seen from above, it is shaped like Kenya’s national coat of arms which sounds super cool.

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The King then met with students taking part in the Prince’s Trust International Enterprise Challenge, which taught them about business structures and entrepreneurship.

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Meanwhile, Queen Camilla indulged in her love for books as she read to children and met with founders of Book Bunk, which is an organization aiming to change public libraries into the great places they should be!

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The King then visited City Shamba, which is an open-air garden, something that I’m sure he enjoyed as the King is a known gardener and plant lover. City Shamba is an urban farming project that shows how even in a city, we can still produce food.

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Further, the King visited Nairobi Garages, which is a place for tech start-ups and tech entrepreneurs.

In the evening, we saw quite a mix of outfits at the state banquet as the dress code doesn’t seem to be defined too well (but what do I know).

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During the banquet, the King gave a speech in which he elaborated on the royal family’s special connection to Kenya, thanked them for their kindness to his mother when she discovered that she was suddenly queen, and acknowledged the dark history between the UK and Kenya:

“The wrongdoings of the past are a cause of the greatest sorrow and the deepest regret. There were abhorrent and unjustifiable acts of violence committed against Kenyans as they waged, as you said at the United Nations, a painful struggle for independence and sovereignty – and for that, there can be no excuse. In coming back to Kenya, it matters greatly to me that I should deepen my own understanding of these wrongs, and that I meet some of those whose lives and communities were so grievously affected.”

For most of the day, the Queen wore an Anna Valentine dress and Queen Elizabeth’s diamond oyster brooch, then changed into a pretty light blue Anna Valentine tunic and pants for the state banquet.

Day 2: November 1st-Nairobi

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Day two of the visit started with a visit to Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery. Kenya supported Great Britain during both World Wars but unfortunately, many casualties were not individually recognized. The Commission is aiming to change that.

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The King met with Samwel Nthigai Mburia, believed to be 117 years old (!!!) and presented him with military honours.

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King Charles III then visited the United Nations office in Nairobi to learn about the UN’s Environment Programme.

He also visited the Karura Forest, where he helped to plant a tree with the environmental activist Karen Kimani; she wrote to Buckingham Palace and asked if the King would like to plant a tree with her. Turns out, he would!

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The Queen is the President of Brooke Donkey Sanctuary, and she paid a visit to learn how they work with Kenyan animal services to protect and rescue donkeys at risk. Look at this little guy and his carrots!

The King later visited the Nairobi Street Kitchen in order to see the Kenyan art scene. He saw products such as sustainable fish leather bags (which I honestly didn’t know was a thing), and ordered a snack from a food truck.

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After a reception to meet with a variety of members of Kenyan work sectors, including politicians, athletes, activists, and artists, the King reunited with the Queen for arguably the cutest engagement of the trip.

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At the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Elephant Orphanage, they watched some baby elephants play, met a baby rhino, and learned about Kenya’s dedication to wildlife conservation and protection.

To start the day, the Queen wore a giraffe embroidered dress from Anna Valentine. Later on, she changed into a Fiona Clare dress.

Day 3: November 2nd- Mombasa

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The royals said goodbye to Nairobi and hello to Mombasa on day three!

To start the day, the King and Queen visited the Mtongwe Naval Base, where they watched the Kenyan marines simulate a beach landing. The Kenyan marines had been trained by the British Royal marines.

Queen Camilla wore another Anna Valentine outfit for day three of the trip.

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The King then heard about marine life conservation at Nyali beach. He planted a coral plug, which is part of an initiative to re-populate the sea with coral. The plugs are made with concrete and coral fragments, which are then taken into the water where, when on the ocean floor, allow for the coral to grow and expand.

Day 4: November 3rd-Mombasa

The final day of the trip was a wet one with a big rainstorm coming through Mombasa. That didn’t stop (though it did delay), the engagements for the day.

First up, King Charles III met with faith leaders at the Mombasa Memorial Cathedral in order to discuss interfaith leadership, cooperation, and promoting peace and unity. He met with the Coast Interfaith Council of Clerics which has been working in the area for over fifteen years on the promotion of peace and security in the region.

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At the same time, Queen Camilla was meeting with Sauti Ya Wanawake staff and volunteers, as well as survivors of gender based violence. This is a cause that Camilla works on in the UK as well. She visited The Situation Room, which is a haven for those that have experienced gender based violence for advocacy, therapy, and other helpful resources.

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The King then visited Mandhry Mosque, which was founded in 1570! The Mosque is part of the Coast Interfaith Council of Clerics.

He and Queen Camilla reunited at Fort Jesus, a UNESCO World Heritage site, where they arrived by Tuk-Tuk! For the visit, Queen Camilla wore another Fiona Clare dress.

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He spoke with the principal curator at the site, Dr. Fatma Twahir. They also spoke with young artists about their products and art for sale.

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They also took part in a Mijikenda ceremonial dance by Jukwaa Arts, which is a dance troupe production company that put on productions focusing on Kenyan social issues. The company is working with the British Council on a new project called Chimidzi Midzi, which aims to teach the younger generations about Mijikenda rituals and ceremonies.

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And with that, it was time to go home. It was an action packed trip with a lot of engagements and a very busy schedule. A successful trip despite the rainy weather!