Royals do carry cash (but not enough!) Queen Camilla asks market traders if she can pay later after running out of shillings in Nairobi – after showing off her dance moves with local women

There is an old tradition from the 16th century that royals do not carry cash, but that turns out not to be entirely true.

Queen Camilla had her shilling ready as she enjoyed an early Christmas shopping spree at a local market in Nairobi with King Charles earlier on day two of her official visit to Kenya.

During a visit to an equine charity, the queen was honored with a robe and showed off her moves in a Masai dance.

She then scoured the local farmers’ market at the Kenya Society for the Protection and Care for Animals, and showed her passion for jewelry by purchasing bracelets and necklaces designed by locals.

But after the money ran out, the remainder of the Queen’s shopping required an assistant to visit the stall holders to collect their details to pay them later.

She didn’t expect to be honored with robes or participate in a dance.

But Queen Camilla is always one to take things at her own pace.

So when a group of ladies invited her to don a beautifully embroidered red cloak and sing and dance with them during a visit to an equine charity in Nairobi, Her Majesty was only too happy to oblige.

With a cheerful smile, the 76-year-old royal let the women dress her and then walked through the dusty courtyard, with a lady’s hands clasped on either side.

The Queen wore a beautiful cream shirt dress by Anna Valentine, which, in a thoughtful gesture to her hosts, featured embroidered giraffe panels.

The moment came when she visited a project in her role as patron of the horse welfare organization Brooke. It is currently working with the Kenyan Association for the Protection and Care of Animals to rescue at-risk working donkeys and promote their welfare.

Along the way, she met Emma Ngugi, president of the KSPCA, and her rescued mutt Sifu.

She is also known as Her Majesty because of the way she lovingly runs the stables and so it was considered ‘protocol’ that she should greet the other Her Majesty present on the day.

Camilla, who is also a huge dog lover and has performed two rescues herself, couldn’t resist leaning in to give her a stroke.

While at the shrine, Queen Camilla indulged in some early Christmas shopping but discovered she had run out of cash.

She bought jewelry, a blanket, a basket, hand creams and some cashew butter at a temporary market at the shelter.

She started with an assistant’s money to pay 4,000 Kenyan shillings for Grace Maina’s sisal basket. ‘It is beautiful!’ the queen told her. “I think I should get one.”

But by the time she bought a blanket at another stall, her assistant only had enough cash to pay for half.

For the rest of the Queen’s shopping, the assistant had to go to the stall holders to collect their details in order to pay them later.

At a Shininah Dajom stall, the queen saw a jar of cashew butter and said, “That’s one with peanut butter!”

Dajom was unperturbed when she realized that she would have to get the 3,000 shillings later. “What that means is the money is in the bank and not in the hand,” she laughed. She later added: ‘Her Majesty’s credit is very good!’

But she also quickly realized that she had missed a good business opportunity. “Maybe they should pay me £3,000,” she joked.

At one point, as aides dragged her wares, the queen said: “Beautiful things,” before adding: “I’ve got quite a big load.”

Sam Semat, who ran the jewelery stall, revealed that she had bought three bracelets and a pair of earrings.

“She asked me what materials they are made of,” he said afterwards.

“She also asked what impact it would have on me if she bought. I told her it’s good for jobs.

“She said she was doing some Christmas shopping.”

The sanctuary is run by the Kenya Society for the Protection and Care for Animals (KSPCA) in collaboration with the horse organization Brooke East Africa. The Queen is Brooke’s president.

When she arrived, she was introduced to the reserve’s rescue dog Sifu, who has been nicknamed Her Royal Highness. Emma Ngugi, president of KSPCA, later said: “I introduced my human colleague first because it seems polite. Then I said to the Queen: ‘Protocol dictates that I should also introduce you to Her Royal Highness, Queen of the KSPCA Sifu.’ At that point, Sifu obligingly offered herself for a belly rub, and the queen received a little hug.”

At the center’s veterinary clinic, Queen met an ex-champion racehorse named Pardon Me Nicely, who was rescued after being abused, and a donkey named Olekisasi, who had recently been rescued.

As the Queen went to pet the donkey, who was more interested in eating his lunch than paying attention to the royal visitor, she said, “He looks very happy – he has a whole crate of carrots.”

When the queen heard how Olekisasi had been found trapped in a ditch, she said, “How terrible.”

She also heard how women use local materials, including sisal, to make harnesses for donkeys. As she watched a donkey get its harness, she said, “It makes it much more comfortable.” [for them].’

While she saw that donkey also eating carrots in a bucket, she tried to give him one herself, but without success. “Have one more!” she said. ‘No? His mouth is way too full!’

When she ended the engagement with song and dance, she was asked to wear the ceremonial red cloak given to her by a group of Maasai women: ‘That is very kind. Can I keep this? ‘