Prince Charles lands in Kigali on his first royal visit to Rwanda before the Commonwealth meeting where he will represent the queen.
- Prince Charles has arrived for a meeting of Commonwealth heads of government
- He arrived with his wife Camilla aboard the RAF voyager ministerial jet this evening
- The arrival comes days after he had privately condemned the UK asylum plan in Rwanda
- Royal faces a potentially awkward meeting with Boris Johnson after the statements
By Rebecca English Royal Editor for The Daily Mail and Jamie Phillips for Mailonline
Posted: 21:51, 21 June 2022 | Updated: 10:20 PM, June 21, 2022
Prince Charles became the first member of the royal family to set foot on Rwandan soil when he and Camilla landed in Kigali last night.
Charles represents the Queen at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting for the first time since she was elected to inherit her position as head of the global “family of nations” in 2018.
But the prince is also facing a potentially awkward meeting with Boris Johnson following the revelation earlier this month that he had privately described Rwanda’s prime minister’s asylum plan as “creepy”.
Clarence House has declined to comment on “alleged anonymous private talks”, except to state that Charles remains politically neutral and that “political issues are government decisions”. Meetings are scheduled for the weekend in which the prince and prime minister will be present.
The Prince and Duchess of Cornwall arrived in the Rwandan capital aboard the RAF Voyager ministerial jet.
Charles will hold several meetings to “listen and keep learning” on key issues facing Commonwealth countries, especially on climate change, economic development, opportunities for young people and gender equality. Today marks the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.
Charles and Camilla were photographed coming down from the RAF ministerial traveler as they landed in Kigali, Rwanda, for a visit to the country and to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting.
Charles met with Special Adviser Ambassador Yamina Kritanyi shortly after boarding the plane this evening
He also spoke with Johnston Busingye, Rwanda’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, while being greeted by dignitaries.
Ahead of Chogm, Charles praised the potential of the Commonwealth to make a difference in issues such as climate change or providing opportunities for young people.
He said: “Assuming shared responsibility for solving problems like these means that the Commonwealth has the potential to make a profound difference in the lives of its citizens and, in doing so, to be a force for good unparalleled in our world. “.
The future king will hold a full day of engagements on Wednesday, when he will meet with survivors and perpetrators of the Rwandan genocide.
In 1994, hundreds of thousands of members of the Tutsi community were killed in Rwanda by Hutu extremists.
The issue of genocide and reconciliation is said to be very close to Charles’ heart and he will visit a village that was attacked.
The trip will be the first royal visit to Rwanda, one of a minority of nations in the world that the queen has not visited.
His son has been encouraged by former Rwandan footballer Eric Murangwa to visit a church outside the capital where the remains of tens of thousands of victims of the genocide are buried.
His arrival comes days after The Mail revealed that he had privately condemned the Rwands asylum plan in the United Kingdom.
Murangwa was protected from assassination by his teammates, and Charles turned him into an MBE in recognition of his efforts to raise awareness about the genocide against Tutsis. He is the founder of Football For Hope, Peace And Unity.
In April, Murangwa was invited to watch the prince plant a tree at Dumfries House in commemoration of the victims of the genocide.
Chogm will take place in Kigali after its postponement in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid crisis.
Charles last represented the Queen at the event in Sri Lanka in 2013 – a move that was interpreted as a preparation for his future role as monarch – and in 2018 he was appointed the monarch’s designated successor as head of the Commonwealth.
The event, which is usually held in a different country every two years, brings together leaders from the 54 nations of the Commonwealth.