King Charles III to Host South African Leader

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Facts

  • South Africa's Pres. Cyril Ramaphosa will visit Buckingham Palace next month in the first state visit of King Charles III's reign. The state leader and his wife, First Lady Tshepo Motsepe, will make the trip from Nov. 22 to Nov. 24 to the monarch and Queen Consort.
  • The forthcoming three-day trip - which comes at the request of the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office - will include a full state dinner with speeches. However, it is not clear whether Ramaphosa and his wife will stay in Buckingham Palace itself, as the building is being refurbished.
  • State visits are considered the ultimate diplomatic gift of British statecraft. The lavish events are a key tool in the UK's arsenal for courting strategically significant countries; Donald Trump was the last world leader to receive the honor in 2019.
  • King Charles has visited South Africa several times, including in 1997. In 2010 the then Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall welcomed former South African President Jacob Zuma to the UK during a state visit.
  • Ramaphosa currently faces a major scandal domestically, after the former head of South Africa's spy agency - Arthur Fraser - accused the politician of kidnapping, bribery, money laundering, and concealment regarding the alleged theft of $4M discovered in his game ranch in northern South Africa.
  • Plans for the new British monarch's first visit abroad have not yet been confirmed, although it has been reported that he will soon travel to France to meet with President Emmanuel Macron.See Fewer Facts

Sources: BBC News, Telegraph, Newsbud, New York Post, Al Jazeera, and The News.

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by Times. Ramaphosa's projected persona as an honest and committed politician tackling corruption in the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party has been sullied. He has abused his role to further enrich his vast wealth, and such a figurehead is not worthy of the honor of a state visit to the UK.
  • Narrative B, as provided by FT. Those who criticize the monarchy for hosting world leaders with potentially dubious records misunderstand the purpose of state visits - they are designed to honor countries, not individuals. As a diplomatic tool, state visits allow the UK to reach across chasms in trade, security, and political policy to influence administrations across the globe. If Queen Elizabeth II can receive President Xi Jinping, King Charles III can receive Ramaphosa.