The Royal Couple Visits &Beyond Phinda

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&Beyond was truly honoured to host Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall for one day of their recent South African tour. The royal couple paid a special visit to &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve, as part of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) initiative showcasing conservation projects in KwaZulu-Natal.

In the morning, they met with King Goodwill Zwelithini and Premier Zweli Mkize in Ulundi, and later flew to Phinda with the Premier and were greeted by Nkosi Gumede, Mkhasa Community Leader. This is the first time a member of the royal family has visited the area and met with the Zulu King since the Anglo-Zulu War in 1879, and we are so proud to have shared a small part in the momentous occasion.

Our royal visitors enjoyed an insightful game drive with expert &Beyond ranger Seth Vorster, followed by some refreshments prepared by chef Sam Mnguni at The Homestead. Sam was absolutely over the moon when they told him he made “the best egg mayonnaise sandwiches ever”! After Jacques Flammand from WWF gave an important media briefing on The Homestead veranda, Prince Charles and his team then visited the nearby Mduku community. They were greeted by 100 community members dressed in traditional Zulu attire, who sang to them as they were escorted to the community centre and the Mduku Clinic. Isaac Tembe, Africa Foundation Development Officer, gave an inspirational speech about the wonderful work the Foundation is doing with the communities.

Prince Charles commended the success of the Foundation and applauded the community projects for not only making a meaningful difference in people’s lives, but also for being an inspiration to people around the world.

We would be most delighted to host the royal couple again and we hope they will return soon!