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King Charles III intends to travel to Kenya for an emotional visit, later this year. This trip comes after rescheduling a trip to France that was postponed in March due to security concerns. His Majesty is anticipated to travel to East Africa in an apparent effort to center the Commonwealth in his reign.
His mother, Queen Elizabeth II, will undoubtedly have fond recollections of the journey because it was in Kenya that she was crowned queen at age 25 following the death of her father, King George VI, in February 1952.
‘It will be a poignant moment. Inevitably it will be a reminder of his young mother at the start of her reign. Now, he is at the start of his, but he has the advantage of experience, too. It will also be an important marker for his reign that will underline how importantly he views the Commonwealth’ an insider said
His Majesty desires to foster interpersonal harmony. Although he is determined to preserve and protect the shared ideals, he is aware that the relationship between the Royal Family and the kingdoms and other Commonwealth nations will evolve.
The French government postponed King Charles’s first official visit in his reign, due to massive riots over President Emmanuel Macron’s proposals to raise the retirement age. The King and Queen Camilla were ultimately only able to travel to Germany for the duration of the second leg of their schedule.
The king’s Aides are now looking into plans for the King to follow in his late mother’s footsteps. The Queen began her reign in Kenya.
‘The plans are being put in place for the King to go to Kenya later this year. He wants to visit the Commonwealth.’ A source said:
Kenya has a special place in royal history because then-Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip were there on an official tour when she learned that her father had passed away early on February 6, 1952, and she had taken the throne.
Less than a week prior, the Royal couple had arrived in Nairobi to begin a global tour in support of the sick King. Sagana Lodge is a bungalow that the government of Kenya gave as a wedding present to Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip.
Read: Key moments from the coronation
The Treetops Hotel in Aberdare National Park was their next stop. The late queen rose as a Queen after entering a treehouse beneath the limbs of a massive mgumo (fig) tree as a Princess.
The Mau Mau later destroyed the hotel, which was again reconstructed. The King, who has traveled to Kenya four times, has fond memories of the place.
Read Also: Elizabeth II; From A Beautiful Princess To A Powerful Queen
King Charles’s past Visit to Kenya
King Charles had already visited Kenya four times. The first was on safari with his sister, Princess Anne, in 1971, with further trips in 1977, 1978, and 1987. It is also in Kenya that King Charles is said to have grown his first beard and even has a clearing, King Charles Campsite, named after him near the Treetops Hotel.
However, his first trip to a Commonwealth nation will be significant for his reign.
Even though Kenya does not recognize him as its head of state, it is one of the 15 commonwealth countries and has significant influence. According to a source, strengthening the ties between the ‘family of countries’ favored by his late mother would be one of his main priorities.
King Charles represented the Queen in Rwanda in June of last year at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. We meet and converse like equals, he said. Each member country must independently decide whether its constitution should be a republic or a monarchy.
He will travel to Australia and New Zealand in addition to the Commonwealth Heads of Government summit in Samoa the following year.
