King Charles given red carpet welcome in Kenya with Queen Camilla in first trip to Commonwealth country since coronation
The Royal couple were all smiles as they met Kenya's leaders this morning
KING Charles has been given a red carpet welcome in Kenya with Queen Camilla at his side.
The Royals were this morning snapped after they jetted off on their first trip to the Commonwealth country since their coronation earlier this year.
The pair were seen beaming as they were greeted by President of the Republic of Kenya, William Ruto, and the First Lady of the Republic of Kenya, Rachel Ruto.
The King and Queen were also welcomed to Nairobi State House with a Guard of Honour – which was formed in two rows – before the Monarch gave a royal salute.
The Kenya Defence Force band went onto play the UK and Kenyan national anthems, which was followed by a 21-gun salute.
King Charles spoke of his “deepest regret” yesterday at the “abhorrent and unjustifiable” attacks against Kenyans during British rule.
His comments came in a speech partly in Swahili, after the country’s president William Ruto had said: “Much remains to be done in order to achieve full reparations.”
The Royals then visited Nairobi’s Uhuru Gardens, where the King unveiled a plaque and was seen wiping at his cheek as he laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior.
The couple then viewed the Mũgomo Tree, planted on December 12, 1964 to commemorate the day Kenya was declared independent.
It marks the spot where the Union flag was lowered and the Kenyan flag raised for the first time. Uhuru, in Kiswahili, means “freedom”.
The King and Queen listened intently as Samson Malaki, curator at the nearby Mashujaa Museum, which tells the story of Kenya’s history, explained the tree’s significance.
He said: “It is a tree that marks our history.
“This tree is not just a historic landmark, but it is a shrine.
“This country was planted as a result of what we went through as a country, as a memory, as far as this country is concerned.”
The Queen then met with youngsters at Eastlands Library as they read passages from ‘Lion and Mouse’ by Catalina Etcheverri.
She smiled broadly and gave them a huge round of applause then bent down to speak to the boys and girls.
The Queen said: “You are all very good readers. Work hard and keep reading.”
The King and Queen are expected to head out on a number of Royal engagements while on their five-day visit.
Charles, who was a young prince when the uprising led to Kenya leaving British rule, will make an impassioned toast at a State Banquet at a traditional u-shaped table.
But it is understood he will not go as far as issuing an apology in the speech – which will be in part in Swahili.
However, it was today revealed by Neil Wigan, the UK High Commissioner to Nairobi, that the Kenyans do not want the King to apologise.
Wigan said: “I’ve met quite a lot of people from the communities who were directly affected, and actually most of them are more focused on the future, about how we do things together.
“Most Kenyans are nothing but positive about the visit.”
Kate and William’s ill-fated trip to the Caribbean last year was blighted by controversy, misguided events and calls for reparations and apologies for slavery.
The British government has previously expressed “regret” about the treatment of the Mau Mau in the 1950s when hundreds were killed or tortured, uprising but stopped short of an apology.
The government paid out thousands to 5,000 survivors of UK prison camps in 2013.
Officially 11,000 Mau Mau rebels were killed and 1,090 convicts were hanged while 32 white settlers died eight years of the ‘Emergency’.
Demonstrations are expected in Kenya from locals demanding an apology and reparations.
