Moment sombre Princess Anne signs book of condolence for Namibia’s late President Hage Geingob following his death aged 82 – as leaders from Africa and Europe attend state funeral

This is the moment a sombre Princess Anne signed a book of condolence for Namibia’s late President Hage Geingob following his death aged 82 – as leaders from Africa and Europe came together to pay their respects at a state funeral. 

The Princess Royal, 73, arrived in Namibia yesterday to attend the memorial and burial of the late president in the capital, Windhoek.

Anne, who was representing her brother King Charles, seemed downcast while honouring the life of the southwest African politician, who passed away earlier this month.

The presidency confirmed that he died in hospital while receiving medical treatment for cancer. He was surrounded by his wife, Monica Geingos, and his children.

Mr Geingob was laid to rest in the country’s Heroes’ Acre cemetery today following a memorial service yesterday.

After the service, Princess Anne was seen arriving at Casa Rosalia – the late president’s private residence – where she offered her condolences to Ms Geingos.

The Princess Royal, dressed all in black, signed a condolence book in front of a portrait of the late president which was surrounded by candles and flowers. There was also a touching moment in which Anne sat down on a sofa and spoke to Mr Geingob’s widow on the eve of today’s state funeral.

Anne also joined representatives from 27 countries for Mr Geingob’s state funeral this afternoon. She donned an all-black ensemble as she joined crowds of mourners in the capital.

She wore a long black coat and hat, along with a gold ribbon knot brooch, set with 12 diamonds – which has been in the royal’s jewellery collection for five decades.

The eye-catching piece features a snake-like loose ribbon design with lifted edges, with the diamonds taking centre stage – and it appears to be the choice of accessory for the Princess’s important occasions.

The Princess Royal was first seen wearing the brooch at Buckingham Palace in February 1969, before wearing it at Buckingham Palace in February 1969, to greet Colonel Frank Borman, the American astronaut who served as commander of the Apollo 8 mission.

It is not known how long Anne will be in Namibia, or how her future engagements for the week will be affected. MailOnline has reached out to Buckingham Palace for comment. 

Mr Geingob had been president since 2015 and was set to finish his second and final term in office this year.

He is thought to have been fond of Anne’s mother, the late Queen Elizabeth, and shared a heartwarming post when she passed away on September 8 in 2022.

‘I met #Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 on her visit to Namibia and I took her to Katutura,’ he wrote on X.

‘When I met her again in 1992, she recalled our exchange. In 2017, I paid Her Majesty a courtesy visit, she had the same sense of humor and indefatigable commitment to service. #RIPHM.’

Crowds of citizens have gathered to pay their respects, waving the nation’s flags and holding up posters to commemorate the politician’s life.

Also pictured at the event was Ms Geingos, as well as Namibia’s interim President Nangolo Mbumba.

Military personnel carried Mr Geingob’s coffin, and Reverend Bishop Zakhias Cape was also seen during the procession at Heroes Acre, south of Windhoek. 

Heads of state from other nations, including Germany and Ghana, were also present. 

Mr Geingob was undergoing treatment for cancer before his passing. The 82-year-old had a colonoscopy and a gastroscopy on January 8, followed by a biopsy, his office said last month.

He participated in a two-day trial of ‘novel treatment for cancerous cells’ in the US last month, according to his office. In 2014, he said he had survived prostate cancer.

Vice-president Nangolo Mbumba has now been sworn in as acting president to complete the term for Mr Geingob, as allowed by the constitution.

Elections are set for November. A government statement said Mr Mbumba will lead Namibia until March 21 next year, when the election winner takes office.

Mr Geingob was the country’s third president since it gained independence in 1990, following more than a century of German and then apartheid South African rule.

After spending nearly three decades in exile in neighbouring Botswana and the US as an anti-apartheid activist, Mr Geingob returned to Namibia as its first prime minister from 1990 to 2002. He also served in the same capacity from 2008 to 2012.

Soft-spoken but firm on advancing Africa’s agenda as an important stakeholder in world affairs, Mr Geingob maintained close relations with the US and other Western countries.

But, like many African leaders, he also forged a warm relationship with China, refuting claims that Beijing is aggressively asserting economic influence over countries in Africa as a form of colonialism.

Namibia, which is on the south-western coast of Africa, enjoys political and economic stability in a region ravaged by disputes, violent elections and coups. However, the country’s opposition slammed Mr Geingob last year for endorsing disputed elections in Zimbabwe.

Condolences from various leaders around the world poured in on Sunday.

In a statement, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he would ‘forever cherish’ his memories of meeting Mr Geingob. 

‘It is difficult to overestimate his personal contribution to developing friendly relations between Namibia and Russia,’ the statement added. 

Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa posted on X, saying Mr Geingob’s ‘leadership and resilience will be remembered’.

Cyril Ramaphosa, president of neighbouring South Africa and one of Namibia’s largest trading partners, described him as a ‘close partner in our democratic dispensation’ and ‘a towering veteran of Namibia’s liberation from colonialism and apartheid’.

Kenya’s Prime Minister William Ruto said Mr Geingob was a ‘distinguished leader who served the people of Namibia with focus and dedication’ and ‘strongly promoted the continent’s voice and visibility at the global arena’.

Namibia, a country of just over 2.5 million people, is rich in minerals such as diamonds, gold and uranium. 

Despite being classified as an upper-middle-income country, socioeconomic inequalities are still widespread, according to the World Bank.