His Majesty King Misuzulu kaZwelithini of the Zulu Kingdom has paid a landmark visit to Brecon, in what has been described as a “powerful act of historical remembrance and cultural diplomacy”.

The King, accompanied by Her Majesty Queen Sihle KaMdhluli, visited the Royal Welsh Regimental Museum on Friday, July 12, where he was received with full ceremonial honours. The royal couple later travelled to London for a service at St Martin-in-the-Fields.

The visit follows in the footsteps of King Cetshwayo kaMpande, King Misuzulu’s great-grandfather, who visited the UK in 1882 following the Anglo-Zulu War. It also honoured the memory of the King’s late parents - King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu and Queen Mantfombi Dlamini Zulu - who previously visited Wales to mark the legacy of King Cetshwayo and build diplomatic ties with the UK.

The Royal Welsh Regimental Museum in Brecon holds extensive collections related to the 1879 battles of Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift, both key events in the Anglo-Zulu conflict.

During the visit, King Misuzulu presented a traditional Zulu war shield to the museum - a symbol of peace and reconciliation that echoed a similar gesture made by his late father during past visits to Britain.

He was also presented with the Royal Welsh Wall Plaque (Crest Shield) and the Royal Welsh Regimental Tie, which are among the highest tokens of respect from the Royal Welsh to a foreign royal figure. The gesture marked a moment of mutual respect between the regiment and the Zulu Kingdom, whose forces once met on opposite sides of the battlefield.

King Misuzulu also met the regiment’s ceremonial goat mascot - a longstanding tradition in the Royal Welsh, dating back to the 18th century.

A personal highlight of the visit was His Majesty’s meeting with Mrs Dorcas Creswell, a long-standing friend of the Zulu royal family. Mrs Creswell was honoured in 2019 by the late King Zwelithini, who formally acknowledged her contribution to advancing heritage diplomacy between the Zulu Kingdom and the UK. At that time, she was appointed as ambassador and representative of the Bayede Heritage Trust in the UK, tasked with developing and supporting cultural and developmental initiatives in partnership with the monarch and KwaCulture. She played a key role in organising UK commemorations of King Cetshwayo, helping to bring Zulu royalty to the Royal Welsh Show and raising the profile of Zulu heritage across Britain. His Majesty King Misuzulu, following in his father's vision, acknowledged her continued service and thanked her for her role in honouring Zulu memory on international soil.

Speaking to the Brecon and Radnor Express, Mrs Creswell said: “He called us his adopted grandparents. They are a royal family that really want to engage with Brecon. It was very positive.”

At the London service, King Misuzulu reflected on the meaning of the royal tour: “We do not carry history to mourn it, but to honour it. We exchange not weapons, but wisdom. Let these gifts stand as shields of peace, and may our kingdoms remain forever united in mutual respect.”