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How the King travels: Inside the Royal Air Force VIP Voyager

King Charles III and Queen Camilla left Kenya on November 3, after a state visit.
How the King travels: Inside the Royal Air Force VIP Voyager
How the King travels: Inside the Royal Air Force VIP Voyager

King Charles III and Queen Camilla left Kenya on November 3, after a state visit. 

During their visit, they attended a number of high-profile events, including a glittering state banquet at State House, Nairobi, and a visit to a naval base in Mombasa. 

To get to Kenya, the royal couple used the British government's VIP aircraft commonly known as "RAF Voyager."

Here's a closer look at the aircraft and how the king travels:

The RAF Voyager is a modified Airbus A330 airliner that serves as the Royal Air Force's VIP transport aircraft. 

It is capable of carrying up to 291 passengers, but when configured for VIP transport, it can carry up to 58 passengers in a luxurious cabin. 

The aircraft is equipped with state-of-the-art communication and navigation systems, making it suitable for long-range travel. 

The plane was re-purposed for use by the Royal Family and VIPs by the UK government in 2015, at a cost of £10 million (Sh1.8 billion).

READ: King Charles III honours 117-year-old Samweli Nthigai

Unlike Kenya where the presidential jet is only reserved for official head-of-state travel, the RAF Voyager, also called Vespina, has other duties when it is not being used for VIP travel. 

It is used as a fuel tanker and refuels other military aircraft in the air. The plane also undertakes trooping flights. 

The repainting to its current look cost £900,000 (Sh166 million).

The VIP cabin of the RAF Voyager is designed to provide maximum comfort and luxury for its passengers. The cabin features large, business-class-style seats.

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