King Charles III of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and his wife Queen Camilla made a state visit to Kenya from 31 October to 3 November 2023, hosted by the

President of Kenya The president of the Republic of Kenya () is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Kenya. The President is also the head of the executive branch of the Government of Kenya and is the commander-in-chief of the Kenya Defe ...

William Ruto and his wife, Rachel. The visit marked Charles's first visit to a Commonwealth country since becoming head of the Commonwealth.

Background

Kenya, a former

British colony The British Overseas Territories (BOTs), also known as the United Kingdom Overseas Territories (UKOTs), are fourteen territories with a constitutional and historical link with the United Kingdom. They are the last remnants of the former Bri ...

, marked the 60th anniversary of its independence in 2023. Charles's mother,

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. She was queen ...

, was in Kenya at the time of her accession in 1952 following the death of her father

King George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of Ind ...

. Charles's visit occurred amidst calls for an official apology over Britain's colonial past. The visit was preceded by a reception hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at

Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a London royal residence and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It ...

on October 24 to mark the 60th anniversary of Kenya's independence from the United Kingdom.

Visit

Charles and Camilla arrived in Nairobi on the night of 30 October.

31 October

Charles and Camilla were greeted upon arrival at the

State House State may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State * ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States * ''Our S ...

, the official residence of the President, by President Ruto and the First Lady. The King then went to Uhuru Gardens National Monument and Museum and laid a wreath In the evening, the Rutos hosted King Charles and Queen Camilla for a state banquet. In his speech, the King referred to Britain's colonial actions as "abhorrent and unjustifiable acts of violence" and as a "cause of the greatest sorrow and the deepest regret", but he did not formally apologize.

1 November

Charles and Camilla walked through the Tunnel of Martyrs, which included visuals of those who had died in Kenya's struggle for independence. They also met with Kenyan veterans who had fought for the British in World War II. King Charles also held a meeting with the family of Dedan Kimathi, a rebel leader who was hanged by the colonial British authorities.

2 November

The King visited Mombasa on the penultimate day of the state visit. Joined by Queen Camilla, Charles observed a drill by the Kenyan Marines, meeting with marines and their families thereafter. The King and Queen attended a military ceremony with President Ruto at Mtwonge Naval Base, where Charles also reviewed an honour guard. The King also visited a turtle conservation site and a coral restoration project.

3 November

On the final date of the state visit, King Charles met with religious leaders and toured Mahdhry Mosque. Queen Camilla met with survivors of gender-based and sexual violence. Later in the day, Charles and Camilla visited Fort Jesus and met with local artists. The King and Queen also observed a ceremonial dance by a costal

Mijikenda Mijikenda may refer to: *Mijikenda peoples *Mijikenda language Mijikenda is a Bantu dialect cluster spoken along the coast of East Africa, mostly in Kenya, where there are 1.9 million speakers (2009 census) but also in Tanzania, where there are ...

community, and were photographed on a tuktuk. They were seen off by President Ruto as they departed Moi International Airport at the end of the visit.

References

{{Queen Camilla 2023 in international relations 2023 in British politics 2023 in Kenya October 2023 events in Kenya November 2023 events in Kenya Charles III Kenya and the Commonwealth of Nations Kenya–United Kingdom relations United Kingdom and the Commonwealth of Nations Kenya visit Kenya visit