Kenya Reception at Buckingham Palace

The reception comes ahead of The King and Queen’s State Visit to Kenya, from Tuesday 31st October to Friday 3rd November 2023, during which Their Majesties will celebrate the warm relationship between the two countries and the strong and dynamic partnership they continue to forge.

The visit is at the invitation of President Ruto and comes as Kenya prepares to celebrate 60 years of independence. His Majesty’s first visit to a Commonwealth nation as King is therefore to the country in which Queen Elizabeth II’s reign began, having acceded to the throne in Kenya in February 1952.

The King and Queen will visit Nairobi City County, Mombasa County and surrounding areas. Their Majesties’ programme will reflect the ways in which Kenya and the United Kingdom are working together, notably to boost mutual prosperity, tackle climate change, promote youth opportunity and employment, advance sustainable development and create a more stable and secure region.

The Royal Collection’s Display

At the reception there was a display of items from the Royal Collection Trust relating to the Royal Family’s longstanding connection with the nation, which included photographs of the then Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip while visiting Kenya, days before Queen Elizabeth II acceded to the throne in 1952.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of Kenyan Independence, and the display includes extracts from Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh’s copy of the speech he gave at the celebrations in 1963, alongside photographs of The Duke with Jomo Kenyatta, the first Prime Minister of independent Kenya, who went on to become the country’s President. There was also a photograph of The King meeting President Kenyatta as Prince of Wales in 1971. Gifts that have been received during incoming and outgoing Kenyan State Visits.