LONDON, England, Nov. 23, 2023 – King Charles III’s first state visit as monarch is coming to an end. On Wednesday, the King welcomed South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to Buckingham Palace for a formal farewell on the final day of his visit to the U.K.
The state visit marked the first time the British royals have hosted one since 2019, when then-U.S. President Donald Trump visited the U.K. It also marked the first state visit of King Charles’ reign, after he became monarch immediately upon Queen Elizabeth’s death on Sept. 8. (A royal source previously confirmed that the visit was in the royal family’s diary before Queen Elizabeth’s death.)
Following the formal farewell, President Ramaphosa will attend a banquet at the Guildhall given by the Lord Mayor and City of London Corporation along with the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
At the conclusion of the state visit, the Lord Chamberlain will bid farewell to President Ramaphosa on behalf of the King.
On Tuesday, Kate Middleton and Prince William welcomed President Ramaphosa at the Corinthia Hotel on behalf of King Charles, then accompanied him to Horse Guards Parade, where the president received a ceremonial welcome. The president and the royals then rode in a carriage procession to Buckingham Palace.
That evening, a state banquet was held at Buckingham Palace, complete with tiaras for the royal women, including Kate Middleton and Queen Camilla. Both King Charles and President Ramaphosa both gave speeches.
The King began his speech by greeting guests in different African languages, including a warm “Ndaa,” or “hello,” in Venda, which the president speaks, segueing into the shared history between the nations.
The London Daily Express reported at the state banquet King Charles recalled that Nelson Mandela’s “special” nickname for his late mother Queen Elizabeth II. Cyril Ramaphosa worked as Mandela’s secretary-general in the African National Congress.
Speaking about Anglo-South African relations during his mother’s reign, King Charles said: “During one of my own visits to South Africa, in 1997, President Mandela told me he had conferred on my mother a special name – Motlalepula, meaning ‘to come with rain’.
“I have been reassured that this was a mark of the particular affection President Mandela felt for the Queen… rather than a remark on the British habit of taking our weather with us!”
The King and Mr Ramaphosa voiced their mutual admiration for both Mr Mandela and the Queen.
Mr Mandela, who served as South African President between 1994 and 1999, died in 2013 at the age of 95.
Queen Elizabeth’s passing came just under a decade later in September during a visit to Balmoral.
NOTE: This article was compiled from several published articles on the State Visit.
