Aasai

Even before this visit, the colony was already fond of the princess. The first dual carriageway in Nairobi was named Princess Elizabeth Highway (now Uhuru Highway). The Royal State Lodge in Sagana had also been conferred to her as ‘a wedding gift from the people of Kenya’ in 1949 although she had never had a chance to see it. Finally in February 1952, in her ailing father’s stead, she visited the country in the sunny month of February and was received with pomp.

Upon her arrival at Nairobi Airport, she was greeted by African chiefs and their wives as well as the colonial leadership. After a garden party at Government House (State House) she travelled north to the Aberdare Ranges at Treetops Hotel. She was almost tramped by an elephant that showed up 11 yards in front of her just as she was approaching the ladder that would take her to the lobby. Rather than panic she cooly made her way to the ladder in slow unalarming movements and safely ascended it.

She spent the night there with her husband and consort Prince Philip and unbeknownst to them, King George VI passed on. By the time she was making it down for the journey to the Royal State Lodge she was no longer a princess.

When the coded message announcing the king’s death was telegrammed to Sagana, there was no one there to decipher it. That ran the risk of the princess finding out about her father’s demise via unofficial channels. Luckily, one of the reporters in the caravan got the news and announced it to Elizabeth’s private secretary, Martin Charteris. The news was shocking and it cut the trip short before she was able to enjoy her wedding gift.

First though she made her way to Government House where the governor had just jetted back in to read to her the proclamation of her ascension. It was therefore in Nairobi where Princess Elizabeth officially became Queen and after her coronation would go on to be the longest reigning monarch in British History having ruled for 70 years. This was the first time in 200 years that a British Monarch was ascending the throne while they were abroad. In her honour, the road leading from Government Road (Moi Avenue) to Parliament Road was named Queensway (Mama Ngina Street). This would forever cement Kenya as a darling in the British overseas dominions.