King Charles is 74 years old, and he’ll be 75 later this year. He’s a Scorpio King in every sense. Before the coronation, I would have said that Charles is in good health and he likely got both of his parents’ longevity genes. But post-coronation, all of the little palace elves were working overtime to insinuate that Charles and Camilla would not travel as much as they used to, and that Camilla would likely be done with foreign tours now that she’s queen. I’ve been wondering if that’s just William and Kate trying to embiggen themselves and make it sound like they’re indispensable, or whether Charles and Camilla are really saying: we are too old to do flop tours either. Soon after QEII died, the palace couldn’t brief the media fast enough about all of the tours Charles, Camilla and the other royals would do, that they would go to commonwealth countries and tour the world and make a special stop in Australia. All of those plans just… went away. Charles couldn’t even do his big tour to France because French people started threatening him with the guillotine. Well, apparently Charles is now making tentative plans (I know a trial balloon when I see one) about maybe visiting Kenya “later this year.”
King Charles is planning to embark on an emotional visit to Kenya later this year, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. In an apparent drive to put the Commonwealth at the heart of his reign, he is expected to go to east Africa before he even rearranges a visit to France that was abandoned in March over security fears. The trip is certain to evoke memories of his mother, as it was where she became Queen, aged 25, after the death of her father, King George VI, in February 1952.
An insider said: ‘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. His Majesty wants to bring people together. He knows the relationship will change between the Royal Family and the realms and other Commonwealth countries, but is keen to preserve and protect the common values.’
Aides are now looking into the logistics for the King to follow in his late mother’s footsteps. A source said: ‘The plans are being put in place for the King to go to Kenya later this year. He wants to visit the Commonwealth.’
The first visit to a Commonwealth country as King, however, will be an important step in his reign. Although it is not one of the 15 realms that recognises him as its head of state, it is nevertheless an influential member. A source said shoring up the connections between the ‘family of countries’ supported by his late mother will be one of the chief concerns of his reign.
“The first visit to a Commonwealth country as King, however, will be an important step in his reign.” The jig is up – Charles prioritized British ties to the European Union first and foremost by making such a big deal about visiting France and Germany before his coronation. That alone was a shift from his mother’s priorities – she was happy to abandon the EU because she believed in strengthening Commonwealth ties at the expense of EU ties. Honestly, if I lived in a commonwealth country – especially one where Charles serves as head of state – I would be sort of offended that Charles hasn’t prioritized a commonwealth tour at the very start of his reign. That was supposed to be part of the plan, Charles visiting all of his “realms” right off the bat. Those plans just… went away. To make his first commonwealth visit of his reign to Kenya, where his mother was staying when her father died? It feels like an odd choice, especially since it feels like such a half-assed trial balloon.
The Times also reported that Charles is already scheduled to visit Samoa for the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting next year, and he plans to tack on a visit to Australia and New Zealand around the same time.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
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- King Charles III arrives for a visit to the Whittle Laboratory in Cambridge to break ground on the new laboratory, meet with academics, aviation leaders and tour the facility. Featuring: King Charles III Where: Cambridge, United Kingdom When: 09 May 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- King Charles III during a visit to the Whittle Laboratory in Cambridge to break ground on the new laboratory, meet with academics, aviation leaders and tour the facility. Featuring: King Charles III Where: Cambridge, United Kingdom When: 09 May 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- King Charles III during a visit to the Whittle Laboratory in Cambridge to break ground on the new laboratory, meet with academics, aviation leaders and tour the facility. Featuring: King Charles III Where: Cambridge, United Kingdom When: 09 May 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
Better get in there Chuck and show those natives who’s in charge and make them bow to you, and of course pay for the costs of your presence. So gross.
Can any commonwealth country reject a visit from the king?
As I understand it (bear in mind my understanding is minimal) a commonwealth country works with their governor general and the UK foreign Office in coordinating a visit. I suppose if push came to shove the country could tell Chuck and his tawdry gin-soaked wife to stuff it but international diplomacy and all that. Jamaica did it the right way by waiting until the Wails got there before telling them they’re fired.
In the jungle, the mighty jungle the lion sleeps tonight, and I hope it wakes up fkg starving and fancies a nice Charlie Tbone
Priceless Mary Pester, priceless!
Looking forward to seeing how Camela’s Tampon handles uncomfortable questions about his mother’s reign during Mau Mau rebellion.
Hahaaaa Mary Pester!! @Kirk, I just posted the same thing about the brutal war with the Mau Mau and how many died or were imprisoned until they got their independence in 1963. I’m old so I remember the terrible news coverage.
I cannot help but wonder if the dithering about foreign tours for the eldest Windsors is in part a post-COVID issue. Obviously the politics are a mess, but that was also true of the Coronation, and they didn’t hold back on that. But the coronation was only one-day event. I wonder if C&C (and especially Camilla) are entirely well. Long COVID happens with every one out of ten infections, and they’ve each had the illness twice, I think; and rates are higher in elders and in women.
As we saw from the Caribbean flop tours by the Wales and Edinburghs, the monarchy is no longer respected or wanted in commonwealth countries. Charles could never suffer the humiliation William and Kate experienced in Jamaica.
I presume they have selected Kenya for his first trip abroad is because it’s unlikely anyone in Kenya cares enough to protest and they can’t fire him.
I will speak for myself and say that I certainly don’t want my tax $$ to be paying for tampon and his wife to have a jolly in Australia. Bore off and tell your son and that single white female of a wife not to come either.
Harry and Meghan are welcome.
One wonders. We do know that Camzilla doesn’t travel well at the best of times as she suffers severe vertigo when she has to fly and invariably needs a couple of days to recoup upon arrival. However she’s sort of faded away except for the bare minimum since the hatting. In any event they’re probably avoiding Commonwealth countries for the time being because we’re all basically bored sh*tless with the monarchy.
@jaded – “severe vertigo”? In my day we just called it a hangover.
@NJGR — BIG LOL!!!
I’ve also been wondering if covid infections and/or post covid complications are playing a part in some of the things we’ve seen. And not seen. If I’m correct that this week was his and cam’s first post coronation event I’m now also wondering if they were ill or exposed at the hat party.
In other words, Charles is demanding to visit black and brown countries so he can fake care about them, adorn himself with colored people (extra smiley or else! Remember Ngozi Fulani! We can and will destroy you if you don’t play ball with our royal BS!) and to beg them not to leave the Commonwealth.
So he wants to go on a tour of Kenya to show that he doesn’t hate “The Blacks”. Just the one his son married. F*ck this dude.
Come through!
“It will be a poignant moment. Inevitably it will be a reminder of his young mother at the start of her reign.”
As if Charles cares enough to get “emotional” over a 70 year old memory involving his former employer.
I reckon that they think it will be a reminder to the Kenyans of his mother, and so they will all remember with great joy QE2, and that love and warmth will immediately be transferred to Charles. As if ….
Maybe if he wears a white-glove uniform and rides in an old military vehicle it’ll make them feel all warm and fuzzy like it did for William and …. oh, wait, never mind.
Blue Nails Betty, I actually looked up the date of QE2’s father. February 1952, when KFC was 3 years and 3 months old. Yes, I’m sure he has sooooooo many memories of this.
Are they going to re-enact something the queen and prince Phillip did while they were there. Have they learned nothing from the reenactment in Jamaica.
I really, really wish the royals would leave Black people alone. Just leave us alone. Please, go anywhere else. Gibraltar, Falklands, just give it a rest.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but the queen does not have a good history in Kenya. Yea, it may have been one of her first visits but doesn’t it evoke a shameful history. And that’s what Charles wants to replicate?
You’re right. Elizabeth was already queen when the British fought a brutal war in Kenya with the Mau Mau uprising in the 1950s that led to its independence in 1963. Some 12,000 people died and an estimated 150,000 Kenyans, many of them unconnected to the Mau Mau, wound up in concentration camps. One of them was Barack Obama’s grandfather Onyango.
@jaded – Oh sh-t – this tour doesn’t sound like great planning either!
Yes, Obama’s grandfather was imprisoned and tortured. I think some estimates of the deaths go a lot higher than 12,000. Is this an apology tour?
Oh, never mind.
Let me grab my popcorn…..
Whatever Charles does, it will be inadequate. I look forward to the fallout.
am kenyan and he will be met by mau mau freedom fighters . we dont care for him
+1000!!
“Planning to go” is subtly different from “going.” So, presumably BP thinks KC has a decent chance of being moderately well received in Kenya and are testing this theory?
Question: what makes them believe that Kenya is amenable to welcoming KC? As opposed to another Commonwealth country?
Charles is definitely NOT wearing Dior. Such poor fit and tailoring. So BORING.
As much as I hate Charles, I disagree with you (except for the boring part). I think that’s the best fit and tailoring you are going to get on his body type. 😆
It may have been a better fit when he bought it years ago. He’s at that age where almost any of his measurements could have shifted by an inch or two even if he’s still the same weight. He’s such a weird mix of vanity and faux frugality.
one of the criticisms on Dior’s twitter post of Harry’s suiting was the hems were too short (I disagree.) betcha those same people won’t say boo about Charles’ hems.
Lol good luck with that.
The queen is dead. Reference to Andy Rourke RIP.
Uh oh. Doesn’t he know that Africa belongs to his Incandescent highness?
Priceless comment.
I think they should duel over it.
I hope Kenya and the Commonwealth countries treat Charles with all of the grace and dignity that has has Sloan for his DIL and grandchildren. I hope they throw rotten food at Cowmilla
one of the criticisms of Harry’s Dior suit at the coronation was that the hems were too short (they were not.) Bet you none of them say boo about Charles’ hems at this appearance even though you can see his socks even when he’s standing straight, knees unbent.
If he’s going to follow in the footsteps of his mother this is going to end up like William and Kate’s flop Caribbean tour. Is he going to be climbing up into a tree house like his mother?
I’m Kenyan and although I live in the US now, I don’t want this motherf*cker anywhere near my homeland. My grandfather was consigned to the KAR (King’s African Rifles) under his grandfather, King George and sent to fight for the Brits in Burma during WWII. A war that had nothing to do with Kenya. I’m still bitter about it. I hope they get greeted by huge numbers of protesters.
I do not know if it is different in other commonwealth countries that still have the Royals as “head of state”, but in South Africa, mostly people are simply indifferent. No one particularly cares. The Royals might get a mention in the lighthearted commentary section of the news, but that is pretty much it. Even when Harry and Megan visited, I don’t recall it being a big deal. Like, they were well received and welcome, but no one got super excited. If I hadn’t read about it on this site, I might not have noticed that they were here at all. And I live in Cape Town.
When are they going to realize that royal tours are past their expiry date?
I don’t think Kenya wants him. Hope they get independence before he comes. Use his announcement to visit to start a grassroots campaign to reject him and his colonialist government.
The motto for the rejection of Charles: Chuck Chuck.
Aww, imperialist colonial conquerors want to go remind the country of the poverty and inequity the pillaging of their countries has enabled!? How utterly… British aristocracy of them.
Is it because Kenya as a whole is nice and uncomplicated??
Well Wisher, with their complicated colonial past, I don’t see that this country is “uncomplicated” in any way, shape or form. In fact, I doubt ANY country is.
Ah yes! Time to use Black folks as props again, right Charlie? Maybe he thinks he can deflect from his obvious disdain and disregard for his DIL by visiting Kenya.
According to the old saying, you CAN fool some of the people all of the time.
The BRF are completely tone deaf to their history. Overlords with no humanity cannot be excused. Tours of Commonwealth countries demanding that the taxpayers pay for everything which usually amounts to millions is obscene. I guess he could always take Khate with him, she would be able to spend many thousands of pounds on her clothes yet again and then ride around flashing her maniacal grin whilst showing them her superiority. The BRF are a pathetic soap opera, the only people destroying it are those living in the UK.