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Plans afoot for a royal biography?

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Unisa Emeritus Professor Frans Whelpton and Her Royal Highness the First Queen to His Majesty Mswati of the Royal Kingdom of eSwatini, Queen LaMatsebula

As part of Women’s Month celebrations, Unisa Press was fortunate to welcome to its Muckleneuk Campus Her Royal Highness the First Queen to His Majesty Mswati of the Royal Kingdom of eSwatini, Queen LaMatsebula. She was accompanied by Her Royal Highness Princess Salaphi; her sister, Nana Hemaa Deli Matsebula, and a delegation headed by the Head of Mission based in the Johannesburg office.

Unisa Emeritus Professor Frans Whelpton provided the vital connection opportunity to Unisa Press, where the Queen has over the past years provided him with invaluable information pertaining to his ongoing research on Swazi Customary Law.

Whelpton was quick to realise that HRH is a fountain of wisdom when it comes to knowledge around African and Swazi culture, most importantly lobola, Swazi marriages, and divorce proceedings, and increasingly encouraged her to extend this talent into formal studies.

HRH Queen LaMatsebula is currently enrolled as a Unisa student with Whelpton, with a special interest in Swazi divorce proceedings, which are a previously undocumented part of Swazi Customary Law.

Unisa Press Director Dr Meiya Nthoesane, accompanied by Commissioning Editor Hetta Pieterse and Marketer Innocentia Swanepoel, welcomed the royal entourage to campus, specifically since the Press is keen to publish with HRH The Queen. The intent is for HRH Queen LaMatsebula to develop a biography about the current King of eSwatini, His Majesty King Mswati II.

A lively discussion ensued, during which the HRH The Queen was introduced to staff from the Press who will support the manuscript development with advice on structuring the book. There is strong potential also to include historic photographic material and newspaper clippings about His Majesty the late King Sobhuza II.

As part of the festivities Whelpton handed over a very rare historic photograph of His Majesty King Mswati III in his youth to mark this inaugural meeting with Unisa Press. This brought joy as well as surprise that Unisa had such beautiful pictures and HRH Queen LaMatsebula committed to share this with His Majesty King Mswati II on her return to the Royal Kingdom of eSwatini.

*Submitted by Hetta Pieterse

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Publish date: 2018-08-21 00:00:00.0

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