United Kingdom has finally confirmed that the much-anticipated State Visit to Kenya by King Charles III and Queen Camilla will be from Tuesday October 31 to Friday November 3, 2023.
A statement released by the UK Government says the visit by the King and Queen was at the invitation of President William Ruto as Kenya readies to mark 60 years of independence.
Kenya will become Charles’ inaugural visit to a Commonwealth nation as King and is the country in which Queen Elizabeth II acceded to the throne during a trip in February 1952.
The King and Queen are slated to visit Nairobi City County, Mombasa County as they showcase fruit of their partnership in tackling climate change, foster youth employment, advance sustainable development and foster security initiatives in the region.
The royal couple will meet President Ruto and First Lady Rachel Ruto and other government officials, UN staff, CEOs, clergy, youth, and Kenyan marines training with UK Royal Marines.
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King Charles III is also scheduled to attend an event to mark the life and work of the late Nobel Laureate Professor Wangari Maathai, together with her daughter, Wanjira Mathai.
The programme of the royals has been curated to celebrate the close ties between Kenya and Britain in creative arts, technology, enterprise, education and innovation among others.
The King is also set to use his inaugural Commonwealth trip to acknowledge ills committed by the UK colonial government on Kenyan people, including the Emergency of 1952-1960.
He will tour a museum at Uhuru Gardens dedicated to Kenya’s history, lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior and visit the site where Kenya was declared independent in 1963.
The King and Queen’s programme also will include:
• A welcome ceremony at State House Nairobi and will each attend bilateral meetings (The King with President Ruto and The Queen with First Lady Rachel, followed by a State Banquet.
• King Charles will visit the UN Office in Nairobi to learn more about the work of UN Habitat and the UNEP. UNON is the only UN Headquarters in the Commonwealth.
• The King will attend a technology showcase, meet Kenyan entrepreneurs driving forward innovation in Kenya’s tech sector. Kenya has the third largest start up eco-system in Africa.
• King Charles will host a reception targeting Kenya’s youthful population and future leaders in development, trade, media, the creative arts and environmental conservation.
• The King and Queen will visit a Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery, joining British and Kenyan military personnel in remembrance, before hearing about its recent work.
• The King and Queen will visit Nairobi National Park to witness the vital conservation work being undertaken by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to boost the country’s tourism sector.
• Queen Camilla, Patron of the equine welfare charity Brooke, will hear how the charity is working with Kenya Society for the Protection and Care of Animals to rescue donkeys at risk and promote their welfare.
• The King, as Captain General of the Royal Marines, and The Queen, will visit Mtongwe Naval Base in Mombasa and witness Kenyan Marines demonstrate a covert beach landing as testament of UK-Kenya defence collaboration.
• The Queen is scheduled to meet survivors of sexual and gender-based violence and learn how they are supported to recover and share her own insights from working in this area.
• Finally, King Charles III will meet various religious leaders from Mombasa County and hear how they are working together to promote harmony in the community.
The King has previously made three official visits to Kenya - in 1971, 1978 and 1987 with their Majesties having both previously visited the country privately.
