King Charles III accompanied by Queen Camilla, arrived in Kenya last night kicking off a four-day historic visit into the country.
The Royal Air Force carrying the King and Queen touched down at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) shortly after 11pm.
✈️ The King and Queen flew to Kenya today ahead of their State Visit, which begins tomorrow.
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) October 30, 2023
Follow #RoyalVisitKenya for the latest updates. pic.twitter.com/OkX55eFuwk
Did you read this?
The members of the United Kingdom’s Royal Family are expected at State House on Tuesday morning for a formal ceremonial welcome ahead of talks with President William Ruto.
Officials say Their Majesties will receive full military honors.
The King and the Queen have an elaborate itinerary in Nairobi and Mombasa in the historic visit aimed at solidifying Kenya-UK relations.
Buckingham Palace said the King and Queen (Camilla) will take in the best of Kenya, from its young tech entrepreneurs and creatives to its beautiful forests and coastline.
The visit comes as Kenya prepares to celebrate 60 years of independence and will spotlight the strong and dynamic partnership between the UK and Kenya.
Their Majesties will meet a diverse range of Kenyans reflecting the strong people to people ties which exist between our two nations, with a particular focus on Kenya’s young people.
They will also spend time with conservationists, environmental activists, artists, entrepreneurs, veterans, the Kenya Wildlife Service, as well as schoolchildren.
At the Coast, Her Majesty will spend time with survivors of gender-based violence, while His Majesty will engage with religious leaders who are working with UK-funded programmes to promote community cohesion.
However, more focus ahead of the trip has been on colonial rule, with the palace saying Charles is expected to tackle “the more painful aspects” of its historic relationship with Kenya.
Rights groups and survivors have exerted pressure since last week, demanding a public apology and reparations in billions.
The Royal Visit will also acknowledge the more painful aspects of the United Kingdom and Kenya’s shared history, including during the Emergency period (1952-1960).
His Majesty will take time during his visit to meet and listen to Kenyans who experienced or whose loved ones experienced the ills of this period first hand.
Their Majesties will visit a new museum dedicated to telling Kenya’s history through Kenyan voices and will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unkown Warrior, at Uhuru Gardens National Monument & Museum, as well as visiting the Mugumo tree at the site where the Kenyan flag was raised for the first time in December 1963.
