A thread to discuss the various reigning and non-reigning royal families of the African continent
King Goodwill Zwelithini died last Friday at the age of 72. He was the traditional leader of the Zulu.
search (https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2021/3/18/south-africas-zulu-king-zwelithini-dies-at-72)
Huge crowds gather for funeral of South Africa's Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini | Daily Mail Online (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9372497/Huge-crowds-gather-funeral-South-Africas-Zulu-King-Goodwill-Zwelithini.html)
His eldest son died last November.
Charlene of Monaco was in attendance for the memorial.
Princess Charlene attended the memorial service of King Zwelithini (https://www.newmyroyals.com/2021/03/princess-charlene-attended-memorial.html)
He was a brother in law to Mswati III of Estiwani. Mswati's sister Mantfombi Dlamini was Goodwill's senior wife, known as the Great wife.
A period of three months of official mourning was announced yesterday.
Queen Mantfombi made regent of Zulu nation as three months of mourning is declared (https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2021-03-24-queen-mantfombi-appointed-regent-of-zulu-nation-3-months-of-mourning-declared/)
Great Queen Mantfombi was appointed regent until a new king is chosen. It is understood that even after the three months are over we will likely not know the new king. The three months are for mourning, not for making such choices.
The final choice falls with the Queen and the most likely choice is her eldest son.
Prince Misuzulu Zulu is the nephew of the king of Estiwani on his mother's side. He is 47 and though unmarried he does have a son.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-56934753
Zulu Queen Mantfombi Dlamini died on Thursday. This comes only a month after the death of her husband King Goodwill.
She was born in Estiwani, a daughter of King Sobhuza II and sister of Mswati III.
She was Goodwill's senior wife and had been appointed regent on the death of her husband. She was meant to have a controlling choice on the next king who is yet to have been appointed.
She was the mother of 8 of Goodwill's 28 children, her eldest son is considered the strongest contender for king.
South Africa's royal scandal: New Zulu king's claim disputed | CTV News (https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/south-africa-s-royal-scandal-new-zulu-king-s-claim-disputed-1.5419619?cid=sm:trueanthem:ctvnews:twittermanualpost&taid=60968481076c5800012bb3df&utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+New+Content+)(Feed)&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter
A new Zulu king was named in South Africa amid scenes of chaos after members of the royal family questioned Prince Misuzulu Zulu's claim to the title following his father's death, and bodyguards suddenly whisked him away from the public announcement at a palace.
The controversy over the next king, a largely ceremonial role but one with great significance for South Africa and its 12 million Zulu people, has arisen after the death in March of King Goodwill Zwelithini, who had reigned since 1968.
Zwelithini apparently named one of his six wives, Queen Mantfombi Shiyiwe Dlamini Zulu, as the "regent of the Zulu kingdom" in his will, but she died after holding the title for only a month, throwing the royal succession into turmoil.