CEMENTING A FIRM FRIENDSHIP THE KING AND QUEEN HOST KENYANS AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE IN RUN-UP TO STATE VISIT

They are spending this week in Kenya, on the first state visit of their reign to a Commonwealth country, and last week the King and Queen prepared for their trip with a special event at Buckingham Palace.

- EMILY NASH

Their Majesties hosted guests from the Kenyan diaspora in the UK in the magnificent surroundings of the Picture Gallery, where the royal couple also admired a collection of items linking the two nations.

The King smiled as he was shown a photograph of his parents, the then Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip, in the grounds of Sagana Lodge in 1952. He also spent time poring over an image of the Treetops Hotel – the famous wildlife lodge in which his mother was staying when she became Queen overnight.

Elizabeth and Philip were at Treetops, deep in Aberdare National Park, on 5 February that year, when the King died in the early hours of the following morning.

When they returned to Sagana Lodge – a wedding present from the people of Kenya – Philip was told about George VI’s death and broke the news to his wife.

Looking at the black and white image of Treetops, Camilla asked: “Is it no longer with us? Oh dear, it’s collapsed.” The King added: “It’s a great shame.” She replied: “Yes, it is. It’s really sad. One of the iconic places. It’s sad it’s gone.”