King Charles showing the Duke of Edinburgh a chess set given to him by Nelson Mandela | So Good News

King Charles presented the Duke of Edinburgh with a stunning chess set given to him by Nelson Mandela in 1996 as he welcomed the South African president to the UK yesterday.

Charles had a private lunch at Buckingham Palace with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, whose state visit to the UK was planned before the Queen’s death.

The monarch, along with the Earl and Countess of Wessex and the Duke of Gloucester, hosted a small exhibition of South African artefacts from the Royal Collection at the Picture Gallery.

Among the films was a stunning chess set that President Mandela presented to the Duke of Edinburgh during a visit to London in 1996, the first South African head of state.

King Charles presented the Duke of Edinburgh with a stunning chess set given to him by Nelson Mandela in 1996 as he welcomed the South African president to the UK yesterday.

In 2010, the Queen showed off the same set when South African President Jacob Zuma and his wife Tobeka Madiba visited Zuma.

The Duke of Edinburgh attended the presidential inauguration in South Africa in 1994.

Prince Philip was then presented with a cup to mark his attendance at Mandela’s inauguration.

Two years later, President Mandela paid a state visit to the UK and presented the Queen with a number of medals.

It was during this event that Mandela gave Philip a game set.

In 1996, President Mandela paid a state visit to the UK and presented the Queen with a number of medals, as well as a chess set for the family (pictured)

The chess set was last displayed in 2010 when the Queen paid a state visit to then South African President Jacob Zuma and his wife Tobeka Madiba Zuma.

Zuma gave the Queen a chess set, but a few years before that, former South African President Nelson Mandela gave it to the Duke of Edinburgh and realized he had beaten her.

“Oh, that’s another set,” said Mr. Zuma, amazed when he saw Mr. Mandela’s 32-piece ceramic game on display in the palace’s art gallery.

To allow Mr Zuma a closer look at the present, the Queen took the form of warriors in Zulu and Ndebele dress, a hut and some zebra head pieces.

The gift was given to the Duke of Edinburgh in 1994 when he attended Nelson Mandela’s inauguration.

Mr. Zuma’s gift featured Zulu warriors along with national costumes made of glass and pewter.

After lunch yesterday in the Buckingham Palace Picture Gallery, Ramaphosa held up a photo of the late Queen standing side-by-side with Mandela at a state banquet at the Palace in 1996 and said: “It’s a beautiful picture.”

The king agreed with the president, noting that “you were lucky to know them both.”

Pointing to a chess set Mr Charles Mandela gave to the Duke of Edinburgh in 1996, the king said: “It’s very nice, isn’t it?”

The chess set was last seen on display in 2010, when the Queen paid a state visit to then South African President Jacob Zuma and his wife Tobeka Madiba Zuma.

The queen dressed as soldiers in Zulu and Ndebele garb, with some pieces including huts and zebra heads giving Mr Zuma a better look at the present (pictured)

The hand-painted ceramic play features pieces in the form of warriors in Zulu and Ndebele clothing, huts and zebra heads.

The Queen Consort took some pieces for a closer look.

When the couple saw a photo of Charles with the Spice Girls in South Africa in 1997, the president said, “There you are,” and Charles smiled, adding, “There they are.”

The Prince of Wales later saw the photo and smiled to his entourage, saying: “My dad in South Africa… the Spice Girls.”

At yesterday’s event, Charles took particular notice of a chess set Mr Mandela had given the Duke of Edinburgh in 1996, with the king saying: “It’s very nice, isn’t it?” said.

The hand-painted ceramic play features pieces in the form of warriors in Zulu and Ndebele clothing, huts and zebra heads.

The gift set was unveiled at an exhibition at Buckingham Palace yesterday as part of a state visit

Among the items was a copy of the late queen’s historic speech in Cape Town when she was 21, with Mr Ramaphosa holding up the laminated document to read.

Princess Elizabeth celebrated her coming of age in 1947, when she vowed to dedicate her “long or short life” to the service of the Commonwealth.

The President looked at Elizabeth II’s 1994 rejoinder to South Africa’s Nelson Mandela and said, “Welcome.”

The congratulatory phrase came from the late Queen’s statement. Charles also showed the president a letter the Queen had written to President Mandela in 1995, adding: “Here is a copy of the letter.”

Charles took particular note of the chess set, calling it “magnificent” as he discussed it with the president.

Meanwhile, the Prince and Princess of Wales also stopped by to view a chess set during the event.

“Yes, yes, 1995,” remarked Mr Ramaphosa.

Buckingham Palace yesterday heralded the first state visit of the new monarch’s reign with glittering pomp.

President Ramaphosa was welcomed by over 1,000 troops, 230 horses, seven military bands and two state coaches.

At the start of their two-day official visit to the UK, Their Majesties, the King and Queen Consort, were on Horse Guards Parade to welcome their guests.

He was accompanied by the Prince and Princess of Wales – playing their most prominent role at a state event – to meet the president at his London hotel earlier in the day.

Buckingham Palace is still undergoing an extensive renovation program and cannot receive visitors overnight.

It’s the first state visit since President Trump in 2019, and sources say there’s been a lot of “excitement and anticipation” as the palace prepares to host such an event.

State visits, which are carried out at the request of the government, are seen as an important tool in building closer ties and friendship between the UK and foreign powers, and the royal family plays a special role in their implementation.