Why King Charles might feel at home in Mombasa

As the royal visit to Kenya by King Charles III and Queen Camilla draws to a close, their choice of Mombasa as the only county to visit outside Nairobi will no doubt put the port city in the international spotlight.

For the King, however, this visit to Mombasa will take him to a place close to his heart – a naval base.

President William Ruto is expected to accompany King Charles on a tour of the Mtongwe Naval Base in Mombasa on Thursday.

The visit comes six months after Kenya's first elite naval unit completed specialised training with the British Royal Marines.

The King is Captain General of the Royal Marines and has had a close association with the Royal Navy since his youth.

"The Royal Navy has been in King Charles’s blood since the day he was born in 1948. The son and grandson of Royal Navy officers, Charles would, in time, follow them into the Senior Service for a relatively short but rewarding career, with the Navy also a near-constant presence throughout his life, be it family ties and connections to official duties," the Royal Navy states on an article in its official website.

Although records show that he had a stint in the Royal Air Force, the King was more inclined to serve in the Navy.

In 1975 he put his naval career on hold after serving in various capacities, including acting as a sub-lieutenant at the age of 22.

The break was short-lived, however, as he was back in action a year later, serving up to the rank of Commander until December of that year. His association with the Royal Navy continued to flourish.

"Upon his mother's passing in September 2022, all RN vessels became His Majesty's Ship, while King Charles gained the title of Lord Hugh Admiral, the historic, ceremonial role of titular head of the Royal Navy," the Royal Navy said.

During the tour of Mtongwe Naval Base, which will also be attended by Queen Camilla, the Kenyan Navy is expected to demonstrate covert operations on the beach.

"The King, as Captain General of the Royal Marines, and The Queen, will visit Mtongwe Naval Base in Mombasa. There, Their Majesties will witness Kenyan Marines, trained by the Royal Marines, demonstrating a covert beach landing, showing defence collaboration in action," the UK government said in a statement.

On May 5, the new Kenyan Marine Commando Unit (KMCU) was inaugurated after a parade at the Mtongwe Naval Base.

According to the British government, the elite unit had been trained by the Royal Marines for 12 weeks to specialise in amphibious assaults.

"This joint endeavour to create the Marine Commando Unit is an example of the UK and Kenya’s enduring commitment to building a strong, capable and adaptable Kenyan military that is already an anchor of regional stability and security," said a statement from the British High Commission in Kenya, adding that the US military also contributed to the formation of the Unit.

Its creation was part of the UK-Kenya five-year strategic partnership launched in 2020 under the second pillar, which aims to strengthen joint efforts to tackle global terrorism, violent extremism, organised crime and corruption.

While in Mombasa, King Charles III is also expected to visit UK-funded projects that aim to harness the economic potential of the blue economy while mitigating the effects of climate change in coastal regions.

He will also meet faith leaders to discuss how they are working together to curb violent extremism in the cosmopolitan city.

Queen Camilla will also meet with survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).

In previous interviews, the royals have revealed that supporting victims of SGBV is one of Camilla's royal duties, and one that is close to her heart, alongside her work on children's literacy.

"She’s done wonderful things, I think, with the whole issue around violence against women and rape and sexual violence. I think it’s been quite remarkable what she’s done on that front," King Charles was quoted as saying by CNN in a 2015 interview.

The royals landed in Kenya on Monday night for their first state visit to a Commonwealth country since the King's reign began. Their tour will last until November 3.