This is the moment the King affectionately mentioned the Prince and Princess of Wales in his keynote speech at a state banquet in Nairobi.
King Charles, 74, accompanied by Queen Camilla, recalled Prince William and Kate’s engagement in Kenya in 2010.
He said: ‘It was here, within sight of Mount Kenya, that my son, the Prince of Wales, proposed to his wife, now my beloved daughter-in-law.’
Prince William proposed to his then-girlfriend Kate Middleton in October 2010 in a log cabin during a safari at the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, where he had spent part of his gap year almost a decade earlier.
Kate is known to have a warm relationship with her father-in-law and has reportedly helped smooth out the sometimes fractious relationship between the King and his son William.
The King sweetly referred to the Prince and Princess of Wales in his keynote speech at a state banquet in Nairobi. Pictured: Kate and William in November 2010, after announcing their engagement
King Charles and Kate have also shown several public signs of their close relationship in recent years.
For example, the Princess of Wales affectionately called her father-in-law by the family nickname “Grandpa” when she greeted him at a G7 reception in 2021.
Meanwhile, the then Duchess of Cambridge shared a kiss on the cheek with her grief-stricken father-in-law in April 2021 as they left Prince Philip’s funeral.
Kate comforted Charles as the couple left St George’s Chapel after the emotional service in memory of the Duke of Edinburgh.
Photos show Kate comforting the then Prince of Wales over the loss of his father by placing her hand on his shoulder. She then kissed him on the cheek as they left the entrance to the chapel.
Elsewhere, when greeting each other at engagements, Kate and the King will often share a friendly embrace and kiss each other on the cheeks.
Meanwhile, the King last night told the Kenyan people of his “deepest sorrow and regret” over Britain’s “abhorrent and unjustifiable acts of violence” during the colonial era.
In his speech that went far further than many expected, amid calls for an apology for government abuses under his late mother’s reign, King Charles said there was ‘no excuse’ for British ‘abuses’ in the East African nation, especially against the Mau Mau uprising. .
King Charles (pictured with Kate in June 2022), accompanied by Queen Camilla, recalled Prince William and Kate’s engagement in Kenya in 2010
Speaking at the state banquet, he told the Kenyan president and 350 guests: “It is the intimacy of our shared history that has brought our people together. However, we must also acknowledge the most painful times of our long and complex relationship.
‘The misdeeds of the past are a cause of the greatest sorrow and deepest regret. “There have been abhorrent and unjustifiable acts of violence against Kenyans while, as you said at the United Nations, they were waging a painful struggle for independence and sovereignty – and there can be no excuse for that.”
Charles continued: “When I return to Kenya, it is vital for me to deepen my own understanding of these abuses, and to meet some of the people whose lives and communities have been so deeply affected.
“None of this can change the past. But by approaching our history honestly and openly, perhaps we can demonstrate the strength of our friendship today. And as a result, I hope we can continue to build an increasingly closer bond in the coming years.’
The king stopped short of an immediate apology, which carries greater legal liability because it is not the policy of the British government to do so.
His words came as President Ruto delivered an even more strongly worded speech – hinting at further demands for reparations.
He said Britain and Kenya cannot “live in denial of history” and highlighted the “displacement, dispossession and disenfranchisement of indigenous Africans, paving the way for brutal colonialism.”
The president described British efforts to crush the Kenyan people’s struggle for independence as “monstrous in their brutality” and made it clear that he would not accept the £20 million Britain has paid so far in compensation for victims of torture and repression was deemed inadequate.
Meanwhile, the King (pictured) last night told the Kenyan people of his “greatest sorrow and deepest regret” over Britain’s “abhorrent and unjustifiable acts of violence” during the colonial era.
Charles and Camilla toast the state banquet with other guests
Queen Camilla smiles as she attends the state banquet hosted by President Ruto at the State House
“While efforts have been made to atone for the death, injury and suffering inflicted on Kenyan Africans by the colonial government, much remains to be done to achieve full reparations,” he said.
But he praised the king for his “visionary leadership” on the issue, saying: “Your exemplary courage and willingness to shed light on uncomfortable truths that lurk in the dark reaches of our shared experience are… commendable.”
“This is a very encouraging first step, under your leadership, to make progress beyond the cautious and ambiguous half-measures of recent years.
“We are therefore confident that, under your visionary leadership, relations between Kenya and the United Kingdom will continue to flourish for the benefit of our two countries and peoples. ‘
The king endeared himself to his audience by using various Swahili expressions and his pronunciation was described as ‘impeccable’.
He emphasized the “special meaning” Kenya has for his family, not least his late mother, because it was there that she discovered she was queen.
Their Majesties were greeted at State House by a traditional Ma dance troupe from Narok, who greeted them with a ceremonial celebratory dance.
Queen Camilla looked elegant in a blue tunic top and palazzo-style trousers from one of her favorite designers, Anna Valentine.
She also wore a diamond elephant bracelet and necklace that belonged to her adored grandmother from Van Cleef & Arpels.
The king, who wore a lounge suit because the dress code was not black tie, posed for photos with his wife and their hosts, President William Ruth of Kenya and First Lady, Rachel Ruto.