Queen’s cave waterfall, Aberdare maintains historic touch
The Queens cave at Aberdare National Park remains a historical site in Kenya, being one of the places Britain’s Princess Elizabeth loved visiting before she ascended to the throne upon the death of her father, King George in 1953.
“This waterfall is historical. Princess Elizabeth visited in the company of her husband Philip Mountbatten before she heard the death of her father. So it was named after her,” Adam Mwangi, the field manager explained.
Queen’s cave is one of the six waterfalls found in the Aberdare Forest.
“Princess Elizabeth, the older of the king’s two daughters and next in line to succeed him, was in Kenya at the time of her father’s death; she was crowned Queen Elizabeth II on June 2, 1953 at the age of 25.
Mwangi explains that until recently, tourists were not allowed to go near the waterfall as the place was consecrated for the royal family.
Princess Elizabeth was the first British monarch since King George to be outside the country at the moment of succession, and also the first in modern times not to know the exact time of her accession because her father had died in his sleep at an unknown time.
Treetops hotel in Aberdare National Park near Nyeri was one of the locations where Princess Elizabeth was staying before her husband broke the sad news to her.
Kenya has maintained its stature as a renowned tourist destination, as it is home to white sandy beaches at its Coast, and a number of game parks including one located within the capital Nairobi.