Queen Camilla visits sexual violence survivors during Kenya trip

Queen Camilla shows off her moves as she dances with volunteers at a shop for sexual violence survivors – while Charles is greeted with chants of ‘Long Live the King’ on their final day in Kenya

  • Queen Camilla, 76, visited The Situation Room in Monbasa for violence survivors
  • READ MORE: King Charles looks delighted as campaigners gift him a chair made from recycled plastics during his visit to Mombasa’s Nyali Beach in Kenya

The King and Queen were snapped battling torrential rain as they made their way to appointments in Mombasa this morning, during their official visit to Kenya.

Punctuating the sound of the lashing rain were cries of ‘long live the King’ from crowds who had gathered to see the couple, making the trip reminiscent of their recent trip to Paris.

King Charles, 74, and Queen Camilla, 76, are currently visiting Kenya for four days at the invitation of Kenyan President William Ruto, to celebrate the relationship between the two countries.

The visit comes as Kenya prepares to commemorate 60 years of independence.

In Monbasa, the King visited Mandhry Mosque in the old town, which was founded in 1570 and is East Africa’s oldest mosque.

During her visit to The Situation Room, volunteers and staff (pictured) invited Queen Camilla (pictured) to dance with them  

Meanwhile, his wife visited  Sauti Ya Wanawake (the voice of women) at the Situation Room.  

The Situation Room is a one stop shop for survivors of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV), providing services ranging from advice and advocacy to counselling and therapy.

There, the Queen – who is known for her advocacy work when it comes to gender-based violence – is thought to have met with survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, and learnt about how the centre is working to help these survivors.

The important appointment also saw the royal meet with a psychosocial support group, where she was briefed on the psychosocial therapy support services provided by the organisation.

Among its important work, the Situation Room also offers ‘survivor kit’s, which are provided by volunteers.

These kits include self care and essential products like sanitary protection, shawls, toys, soap, snacks and other grooming items.

She also learnt how art therapy is used as a form of counselling, and can positively impact child survivors of domestic abuse, and how their drawings can be employed as evidence during judicial processes to bring perpetrators to account.

Meanwhile, the King’s visit to the Mosque was delayed by the wet weather, shortening the trip to just five minutes, before he dashed out in time for the Sheikh to begin the sacred twelve o’clock prayers.

The King and Queen sat in an electric tuktuk with a driver from the British High Commission during a visit to Fort Jesus

Charles and Camilla toured Fort Jesus to learn about the British, Portuguese and Omani influence on the fort’s architecture

The royal couple appeared excited to ride around in an electric rickshaw during day four of their visit

The King was left in stitches as he attended an interfaith meeting at Mombasa Memorial Cathedral in Mombasa

Camilla was in high spirits as she danced with volunteers and staff from Sauti Ya Wanawake (the voice of women) at the Situation Room

The Queen was delighted to join in with the dancing as she spoke with volunteers on day four of the visit

She raised her hands joyfully, joining in with the other volunteers as the mood turned festive today

The royal held hands with women as she visited staff and volunteers at the Situation Room in Kenya today

The queen held onto other women as they all joined in with the dancing during today’s engagements

Camilla danced with volunteers and staff from Sauti Ya Wanawake (the voice of women) at the Situation Room

Camilla spoke with a woman at the Situation Room – a one-stop shop for survivors of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV)

The royal was taught about the importance of art therapy as a form of counselling for child survivors of domestic abuse

Camilla was shown survivor kits that volunteers provide – self care packages that include sanitary products, shawls, toys, soap, snacks and other grooming items

The royal appeared impressed as she saw just how much the Situation Room does to provide support

The Queen met a psychosocial support group and was briefed on psychosocial therapy support services 

Camilla appeared in deep conversation with the Situation Room staff and volunteers during her visit

The Queen was all smiles as she heard about the important work being done by the organisation today 

King Charles was visiting Mandhry Mosque in Mombasa old town, which was founded in 1570 and is East Africa’s oldest mosque.

Young onlookers shouted and waved from nearby balconies, with repeated calls of: ‘Long live the King.’

Charles then went inside the mosque to hear about the mosque’s interfaith dialogue work.

It is part of the Coast Interfaith Council of Clerics Trust (CICC), which works to maintain peace between religions.

He was met by the mosque’s committee chairperson, Sheikh Ali Said Al-Mandhry, whose family founded the mosque.

He said afterwards: ‘It was wonderful to meet the King. He is a very down to earth person.

‘We talked about how to help the children and improve things for their future.’

The King also met the CICC Mombasa Chair Sheikh Mahamud Abdillahi Mahamud, the Governor of Mombasa County, His Excellency Abdullswamad Sheriff Nassir, and a young religious leader, Sheikh Mohammed Ali Muadhan.

The King was given a quick tour of the mosque, where he viewed artefacts including a portion of the original door installed in the 16th century, and a hand- written copy of the Quran.

Mandhry Mosque, which is minutes from the old port, was originally a worship centre for merchants that brought together travellers from around the world. 

While speaking today, the King told religious leaders working to promote peace on the Kenyan coastline how everyone was trying to find a path to the ‘divine’.

Charles sat down with faith leaders to hear how they have joined forces to tackle a range of issues in their communities in the Mombasa area.

The king was welcomed to a gathering of the Coast Interfaith Council of Clerics (CICC) meeting at Mombasa Memorial Cathedral.

The clerics are from organisations that represent Christianity, Hindu, Muslim and African traditional faiths working together to tackle pressing issues in the region.

For more than two decades the CICC has been working in the areas of peacebuilding, child protection, preventing and countering violent extremism and public participation and governance.

The royal (pictured) was snapped smiling as she battled the rain en route to her appointment. Advocating for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence is one of the Queen’s key interests

As he made his way to his engagement at Mandhry Mosque today, King Charles (pictured) was greeted with cries of ‘long live the King’

Chairperson of the Mandhry Mosque Committee Babu Ali Said walks with King Charles during today’s visit 

After a female evangelical minister described, how clerics from other faiths attended her ordination and blessed her, the King said: ‘We’re all trying to find the same path to to the divine – sometimes by different routes.’  

The king also asked about the work the CICC to mitigate election violence when Kenyans went to the polls last year and was told about the work to limit conflict.

After a brief break in the torrential rain that had battered the Kenyan coast for 24 hours, the King and Queen departed drenched Mombasa with a ceremonial goodbye.

After arriving at the Moi International Airport the royals met The President and First Lady of the Kenya before proceeding through a Guard of Honour with and the Commander of the Kenya Defence Forces and Major General Jimson Mutai, giving a salute.

Charles and Camilla kept their cool despite the humid temperature and chaotic scrum from local media attempting to capture a final snap of the royal couple before they boarded the RAF Voyager and waved goodbye to their hosts.

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