Photo courtesy of Catholic Church of England and Wales via Flickr.
King Charles III visited Kenya in late October.
Elizabeth Murray ’26
Staff Writer
Content warning: This article discusses colonial violence, mass death and sexual violence.
King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla of the United Kingdom made their first visit to Kenya as ruling monarchs in late October.
This is the first Commonwealth country the king has visited since ascending to the throne in 2022 following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, BBC News reported. There has been recent speculation about whether the king would address the violent history of British colonialism in Kenya and issue a formal apology.
The royal couple landed in Nairobi on Oct. 30, receiving an official welcome from Kenyan President William Ruto at his residence, the State House, the next day, according to PBS News. The king and queen attended a state dinner and a safari in Nairobi National Park, and the king later met with local entrepreneurs, AP News reported.
The four-day visit focused on cooperation between the two countries surrounding issues of economic development, climate change and security, Reuters reported. King Charles made stops at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior, the site where Kenya declared independence and a public library where he met with participants in the Prince’s Trust charity organization.
PBS News reported that during the trip, U.K. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly announced that 4.5 million pounds sterlings in aid — around $5.5 million — would be donated towards education reform in Kenya, remarking that the father of current British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was educated in Kenya.
The visit has highlighted lingering tensions in Kenya over the history of British colonial rule and the violence it inflicted on Kenyans, PBS reported. This year marks 60 years of Kenyan independence after a long fight against colonial rule known as the Mau Mau Rebellion. Thousands of Kenyans died during this rebellion, and the British detained and executed rebels without trial. Thousands more recalled being beaten and sexually assaulted by British agents.
In 2013, the British Government agreed to a 20 million pound sterling, or $24 million, settlement for those abuses, Reuters reported. According to The Guardian, many human rights groups and President Ruto have called for Britain to apologize.
Reuters reported that in a statement on Tuesday, King Charles said, “The wrongdoings of the past are a cause of the greatest sorrow and the deepest regret.” Many feel this statement does not go far enough in acknowledging the British Crown’s harm to Kenya. Under colonial rule, 500,000 Kenyans, mainly from the Kipsigis and Talai groups, were violently expelled from their ancestral lands in order for tea plantations to be erected. In 2019, the British government refused to settle the group's claims. The case is currently before the European Human Rights Court.
In Kenya, there have been several demonstrations and protests against the king’s visit, PBS reported. Many reported the police disbanding them or canceling their protest altogether. The king’s statement breaks with the precedent set by his mother, Elizabeth II, who notably refrained from expressing opinions on controversial matters and stuck to impartiality, CNN wrote.
Reuters reported that President Ruto spoke positively about the king’s willingness to highlight the past, declaring that “while there has been efforts to atone for the death, injury and suffering inflicted on Africans by colonial government, much remains to be done in order to achieve full reparations.”
King Charles met with Kenyan veterans who had fought for Britain, reissuing them with medals, CNN reported. He also met privately with the families of Kenyan rebels killed by British forces.
Among them was the family of Dedan Kemathi, who was hanged by the British government and the location of whose bodily remains are still unknown, AP News reported . The meeting was intended to be an “opportunity for the king to hear firsthand about the violence committed against Kenyans during their struggle for independence,” the British High Commission said.
At a new museum dedicated to Kenya’s history, the king visited an exhibit called the “Tunnel of Martyrs,” displaying death warrants signed by British officials. Additionally, King Charles met with religious leaders towards the latter part of the trip in the hope of promoting peace.
According to AP News, the king toured the Mandhry Mosque, the oldest mosque in East Africa. He later met with leaders from Hindu, Muslim, Christian and traditional African faiths in an Anglican cathedral in the city of Mombasa, where a plaque was unveiled to commemorate the visit. The region has been affected by a rise in radicalization and militant violence.
The king also observed a drill by British-trained Kenyan Marines and inspected an honor guard alongside the Kenyan President. He then visited a coastal conservation site and saw how organizations are recycling waste.
Meanwhile, Queen Camilla met with women’s advocacy group, Sauti ya Wanawake, Swahili for “voice of women,” speaking with staff, volunteers and survivors about how to support survivors of gender-based and sexual violence best.
She later accompanied the king for the state dinner and visit to the Eastlands Library before meeting with the founders of “Book Bunk,” a charity that focuses on supporting libraries, People Magazine reported. She also visited several animal sanctuaries and rejoined her husband to view a marine training exercise.
The royal couple then visited UNESCO World Heritage Site Fort Jesus, a 16th-century Portuguese fortress, meeting artists whose works were there on display and taking photos before being seen off by the Kenyan President at Mombasa’s Moi International Airport. Despite the short duration of the trip, it undoubtedly has the potential to be very consequential for British-Kenyan relations.