Who is King Charles III?

Kenya is set to host King Charles III and Queen Camilla from October 30 to November 3, 2023, for an official visit.

This will be King Charles's first official visit to Kenya since he was crowned in May 2023.

However, the King has made three previous official visits to Kenya, in 1971, 1978 and 1987.

Kenya played a role in King Charles III's family history.

The news of  Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles III’s mother, ascending to the throne found her in Kenya in February 1952.

Queen Elizabeth II was visiting the country when her father King George VI died in 1952.

In 2010, Charles' elder son Prince William proposed to his long-term girlfriend Kate Middleton while staying in Kenya.

Since he became King, he has made only three state visits.

In March 2023, the King and Queen embarked on a state visit to Germany, during which Charles became the first British monarch to address the Bundestag.

In September 2023, King Charles III became the first British monarch to deliver a speech from France's Senate chamber during his state visit to the country.

He travelled to Romania in June 2023 and was received by President Klaus Iohannis.

The King also received one official state visit from South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on November 22, 2022.

In his visit to Kenya,  the King and Queen will meet President William Ruto and First Lady Mama Rachel Ruto, as well as other leaders and agencies.

They are scheduled to visit Nairobi City County, Mombasa County and surrounding areas. 

Ruto said Kenya is honoured to be the chosen country by the King and Queen for their first visit to a Commonwealth nation.

"Kenya is honoured that King Charles III and Queen Camilla have chosen our country for their first visit to a Commonwealth nation. This choice is a testament to the depth of our relations and the mutually beneficial nature of our partnership," he said

"The visit is a significant opportunity to enhance our collaboration in various areas of shared interest."

As preparations are top-notch to receive the King and Queen, it is important to know their history.

So who is King Charles III?

King Charles III's official name is Philip Arthur George and he was born in Buckingham Palace in November 1948 during the reign of his maternal grandfather King George VI.

Charles became heir apparent after his mother, Queen Elizabeth II who acceded to the throne in February 1952.

He was made Prince of Wales in 1958 and his inauguration was held in 1969.

Charles served in the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy from 1971 to 1976.

In 1981, he married Lady Diana Spencer who became the Princess of Wales and together they had two children.

Their children are William the Prince of Wales and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex.

Charles and Lady Diana Spencer later separated and their marriage was dissolved in 1996.

A year later, the Princess of Wales, Lady Diana was killed in a car crash in Paris.

In 2005, Charles married his long-term partner, Camilla Parker Bowles. When Charles became King, she became Queen Consort, as per the wishes of Queen Elizabeth II.

Following the coronation she is now known as Queen Camilla.

As heir apparent, Charles undertook official duties and engagements on behalf of his mother.

He was passionate about history and advocated for the conservation of historic buildings and the importance of architecture in society as heir apparent.

Charles became king upon the death of Queen Elizabeth II on September 8, 2022, aged 96.

King Charles III became king at the age of 73, making him the oldest person to accede to the British throne, after having been the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales in British history. 

King Charles III's coronation took place at Westminster Abbey on May 6, 2023.

While giving his first speech on September 9, King Charles III paid tribute to his mother and announced the appointment of his elder son, William, as Prince of Wales.

A day after, the Accession Council publicly proclaimed Charles as king and the ceremony was televised for the first time.

Some of the leaders who attended included Queen Camilla, his children, Prime Minister Liz Truss and her six living prime ministerial predecessors.

The visit to Kenya will be King Charles III's first visit to a Commonwealth nation since becoming monarch.

King Charles III is the head of the Commonwealth, an association of 56 independent countries and 2.5 billion people.

For 14 of these countries, as well as the UK, the King is head of state.

The countries, known as the Commonwealth realms, are Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, Papua New Guinea, St Christopher and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, New Zealand, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu.

His powers are largely symbolic and ceremonial, and he remains politically neutral.

He receives daily dispatches from the government in a red leather box, including briefings ahead of important meetings, or documents needing his signature.

As the Head of State, he appoints a government where the leader of the party that wins a general election is usually called to Buckingham Palace to form a government.

The King begins the parliamentary year with the State Opening ceremony, where he sets out the government's plans.

He does the Royal Assent, when a piece of legislation is passed through Parliament, it must be formally approved by the King to become law.