On 5th May Royals from allover the world arrived in the United Kingdom to attend the coronation of King Charles III on 6th May 2023. They alongside presidents, Prime ministers, foreign ministers etc. were received at the Buckingham Palace on 5th May by King Charles III in preparation for the coronation the next day.
4 African Kings were invited to the coronation alongside other African presidents. They 4 include:
- HM King Mswati III of Eswatini 🇸🇿 and HRH Inkhosikati LaMbikiza
- HM King Letsie III of Lesotho 🇱🇸 and HM Queen Masenate
- HM Asantehene (King) Otumfuo Osei Tutu II of Ashanti, Ghana 🇬🇠and HRH Lady Julia Osei Tutu
- King Mohammed VI of Morocco 🇲🇦 was invited but his sister princess Lalla Meryem attended on his behalf
(Photo by Jeff Spicer /Getty Images)
(Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)
(Photo by Joe Giddens/PA images /Getty Images)
(Photo by Victoria Jones – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
1953 – Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II of UK
Did you know that African Kings and Queens, Paramount chiefs, Sultans etc were invited to the British coronation in 1953? It is commonly known that European royals were mostly the attendees of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth ii of UK in 1953.
Embed from Getty ImagesDespite low coverage of our african royals (probably the English media didn’t know who they were) at the coronation i have found some few pictures which will remind us of our glorious royals at the world’s most famous coronation in history. There are pictures of them either arriving or leaving but not inside the abbey
- King (Ingwenyama) Sobhuza II of Eswatini then Swaziland 🇸🇿
- Queen Inkhosikati laMgunundvu Unabo Elizabeth
- Princess Gcinaphi Dlamini
- Kgosi (Paramount chief) Kgari Sechela of BaKwena of Botswana 🇧🇼 then Bechuanaland
- King (Morena) Moshoeshoe II of Lesotho 🇱🇸 then Basutoland (then prince Constantine Bereng Seeiso Griffith)
- Sultan Sayyid Sir Khalifa II bin Harub Al-Said of Zanzibar
- Sultana Sayidda Nunu of Zanzibar
- Princess Sayyida Amal of Zanzibar
- King (Kabaka) Mutesa II of Buganda kingdom, Uganda
- Queen (Nnabagereka) Damali of Buganda
- King (Omukama) Sir George Rukidi III of Tooro Kingdom, Uganda
- King (Omukama) Sir Tito Winyi IV of Bunyoro Kitara kingdom, Uganda
- Wife Omugo (Queen)
- King (Omugabe) Gasyonga II of Ankole Kingdom, Uganda
- King (Ooni) Oba Adesoji Aderemi of Ife, Nigeria
- King (Litunga) Mwanawina III of Barotseland/Lozi people of Zambia
- Prince Siisii Mwanawina
- Prime minister and induna
- Crown Prince Asfaw Wossen of Ethiopia representing Emperor Haile Sellasie of Ethiopia
- Paramount Chief Kawinga of Yao of Malawi then Nyasaland
- Paramount Chief (Mangi mkuu) Thomas Marealle of Chagga tribe of Tanzania
- Mrs (Mkamangi) Elifuraha Marealle
- Paramount Chief (Ntemi) David Kidaha Makwaia of Sukuma tribe of Tanzania
- Nabil Suleyman Daoud (representing the King of Egypt)
- Paramount Chief Nana Kusi Apea, representing King (Asantehene) Agyeman Prempeh II of Ashanti empire, Ghana
Embed from Getty Images
Kgosi Kgari Sechela of BaKwena, Botswana then Bechuanaland
King Sobhuza II of Eswatini
King Moshoeshoe II of Lesotho then a prince
Embed from Getty Images
Paramount Chief Thomas Marealle of Chagga tribe of Tanzania and wife
Embed from Getty Images
King Sobhuza II of Eswatini then Swaziland
his wife Inkhosikati laMgunundvu Unabo Elizabeth
Daughter princess Gcinaphi
Embed from Getty Images
Sultan Sayyid Sir Khalifa II bin Harub Al-Said of Zanzibar,
his second wife Sultana Nunu
Adopted daughter Princess Amal arrive in London 1953
Embed from Getty Images
King (Omukama) Sir Tito WinyiIV of Bunyoro Kitara kingdom, Uganda and companion
African Royals at British Coronation 1937
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth were crowned in 1937
- Alake (King) Oba Ladapo Ademola II of Egbaland/Abeokuta, Nigeria
- Sultan Khalifa bin Harub of Zanzibar
- Prince Mohammed Abdul Moneim – representing his first cousin once removed, the King of Egypt
- Dejazmatch Makonnen Endelkachew – representing The Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia
African Royals at British Coronation 1911
King George V and Queen Mary were crowned in 1911
- Prince Kassa Haile Darge of Ethiopia – representing his first cousin Emperor Menelik ii of Ethiopia
- Prince Mohammed Ali Tewfik of Egypt – representing his brother, the Khedive/Sultan Abbas II of Egypt and Sudan
African Royals at British Coronation 1902
King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra were crowned in 1902, initially the coronation was set for June but the king got sick and it was pushed to August. Below as some African royals who attended
- King Lewanika of Barotseland/Lozi Kingdom, Zambia
- Prince Ras Makonnen Wolde Mikael, Governor of Harar, Ethiopia – representing his cousin Emperor Menelik II of Ethiopia
- Prince Mohammed Ali of Egypt – attended the intercession service not the actual coronation
- Prince Said Ali of Zanzibar – representing the Sultan of Zanzibar, attended the intercession service not the actual coronation
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Very interesting, and yes, it is a shame that the African royalty (and in some extent also Asian royalty) is so much overlooked at events like this. So I am very glad to see that you have been able to identify quite a few of those attending this historic occasion in London. Would you allow me to use that information on my own blog once I get around to write about the coronation? Thank you very much in advance and again; wonderful work in identifying the guests.
Yes thankyou
Thank you very much for letting me use the information
welcome