King Charles and Queen Camilla will undertake their first Commonwealth visit when they visit Kenya later this month.
Buckingham Palace has announced that the King and Queen have been invited to Kenya for a State Visit between 31 October and 3 November, and that they will “celebrate the warm relationship between the two countries and the strong and dynamic partnership they continue to forge” as Kenya gears up celebrations for its 60th year of independence.
During their visit, the King and Queen will carry out engagements in the Nairobi City County, Mombasa County and surrounding areas.
The aim of their visit, according to Buckingham Palace, is to “reflect the ways in which Kenya and the United Kingdom are working together, notably to boost mutual prosperity, tackle climate change, promote youth opportunity and employment, advance sustainable development and create a more stable and secure region.”
King Charles and Queen Camilla will meet with Kenyan President William Ruto and First Lady Rachel Ruto upon arrival, holding a ceremonial welcome at State before The King holds an audience with the President and The Queen holds a meets with the First Lady. In the evening, The President and First Lady will host a State Banquet in honour of The King and Queen.
In keeping with the King’s interest in conservation and the environment, he will visit the United Nations Office at Nairobi to learn about the UN Habitat and UN Environment programmes; he and the Queen will also visit Nairobi National Park to learn how conservation work is carried out and supports the tourism industry; and Queen Camilla will visit the Kenya Society for the Protection and Care of Animals to learn how they are rescuing donkeys and raising awareness in the area.
King Charles will also attend receptions for Kenyan entrepreneurs leading the tech sector, with Buckingham Palace noting that Kenya provides the third largest start up eco-system in Africa; and for young people across a variety of interests, including media, creative arts, trade, environmental conservation and development, to meet future leaders.
On the military side, King Charles and Queen Camilla will visit a Commonwealth War Graves Commission and meet with Kenyan and British soldiers to discuss how the Commission works to remember those lost in conflict, and to attend an Act of Remembrance for those lost. They will later visit the Mtongwe Naval Base to see demonstrations by the Kenyan Marines.
Queen Camilla, meanwhile, will carry out engagements related to sexual and gender-based violence awareness; and King Charles will meet with faith leaders. The couple will also attend a service to remember and honour the late Nobel Laureate Professor Wangari Maathai.
Buckingham Palace stated that the Kenyan State Visit will “will also acknowledge the more painful aspects of the UK and Kenya’s shared history, including the Emergency (1952-1960). His Majesty will take time during the visit to deepen his understanding of the wrongs suffered in this period by the people of Kenya.”
Their State Visit will be especially poignant as Kenya was the location where the late Queen Elizabeth II ascended to the throne in 1952.
