Legendary Treetops Hotel – A Princess’s Turning Point

04Feb 2022 by safarisense
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The visitor’s book at Treetops Hotel, Nyeri

On February 6, 1952, Princess Elizabeth’s life changed forever.

Together with her husband Prince Philip, they were staying in Treetops, a game-viewing lodge built in a tree in Aberdare National Park, when her father died and she became Queen. She was just 25-years-old.

It was actually the next day at Sagana Lodge, 20 miles away, that she heard the news, but it is Treetops Hotel that has become synonymous with the event.

The lodge, known for its rustic design, was built in 1932, and sits right in the middle of an ancient migration route for elephants between the Aberdare Ranges and Mt Kenya National Park.

Treetops sits close to a natural salt lick, allowing guests to see animals as they come to drink water and lick salt.

The lodge itself is a venerable affair, a wooden four-decker “ship” of the forest beached on the edge of a floodlit waterhole, meaning no need to go jolting around in the bush when you stay there. Instead the animals of the forest come to you. Treetops sits close to a natural salt lick, allowing guests to see animals as they come to drink water and lick salt.

The evening before, the Princess had been taking pictures of the incredible wildlife from their tree top hideaway, including baboons, elephants and even a warthog, oblivious of how her life was about to change in a few hours. She had even asked to eat her evening meal outside in the Treetops hotel so she could continue to take photographs into the night.

The lodge rises straight out of the ground on stilts and has four decks and a rooftop-viewing platform.

The lodge, known for its rustic design, was built in 1932, and sits right in the middle of an ancient migration route for elephants between the Aberdare Ranges and Mt Kenya National Park. There is also an ancient fig tree locally known as ‘Mugumo’ tree that grows through the hotel. The lodge rises straight out of the ground on stilts and has four decks and a rooftop-viewing platform.

British Major Eric Sherbrooke Walker, who served as Scouts Founder Baden-Powell’s private secretary before the Great War, was the brains behind Treetops Hotel. Together with his wife, Lady Bettie – Earl of Denbigh’s daughter – they came up with the hotel’s concept and also established Outspan Hotel in Nyeri – a sister hotel to Treetops 17 kms away.

The property was rebuilt after being burned down in 1954, but when Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip stayed, their accommodation was a comfortable three-bedroom shack, with a small servants quarter, built in the upper branches of a giant fig tree. 

The property was rebuilt after being burned down in 1954, but when Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip stayed, their accommodation was a comfortable three-bedroom shack, with a small servants quarter, built in the upper branches of a giant fig tree.

The couple’s secluded and isolated location meant it was almost impossible to break the terrible news to the princess that her father was dead and the Outspan played its own part in that famous saga in 1952. It was where the Queen’s officials were staying and where the news came through that King George VI had died.

After a captivating evening, the Princess woke early the next day to capture two rhinos fighting at a watering hole nearby and the couple departed for the next stage of their tour.

Journalist Granville Roberts, who was covering the royal tour, was the first person to receive the news in Kenya. After it had been announced in the UK, Roberts spotted a breaking news memo from Reuters confirming that the king was dead.

He immediately told Prince Philip’s private secretary, Commander Michael Parker, who tuned into the BBC to confirm the news.

The Duke of Edinburgh had been taking an afternoon nap and was stunned when he was woken told the sad news. He quickly realized that he had to work out how he would tell his wife the tragic news that the father she adored had died and she was now Queen.

Rather than tell his wife in a formal setting surrounded by their staff, Philip took her for a walk in the grounds of the lodge they were staying in. It was a private moment for the couple while Elizabeth could be alone with her husband during her moment of grief.

Legendary hunter and naturalist Jim Corbett was accompanying her and said “For the first time in the history of the world, a young girl climbed into a tree one day a Princess and after having what she described as her most thrilling experience she climbed down from the tree next day a Queen — God bless her.“

Elizabeth was not originally destined to become Queen. However, she became heir presumptive after her father, King George VI, ascended to the throne following the abdication of his older brother, King Edward VIII.

Following the royal visit to Treetops, the lodge quickly became the world’s most famous treehouse – and it wasn’t long before the couple returned in 1959 and 1983. 

It was made further appealing to royalty – including Princess Anne – thanks to the strict rules Walker had laid down, such as no journalists because too many guests would scare the wildlife, or cameras to ensure the princess was given privacy.

Following the royal visit to Treetops, the lodge quickly became the world’s most famous treehouse – and it wasn’t long before the couple returned in 1959 and 1983.

When Princess Elizabeth was pronounced Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 1952, the lodge had 3 bedrooms with a total capacity of 8 beds. In 1954, tragedy struck as the Treetops lodge was closed and eventually burnt down during the 1950s Mau Mau uprising.

It was during this time that the Kenyan freedom fighters battled British colonialists to push for Kenya’s independence. The Mau Mau razed the entire tree house in response to a shoot-to-kill order that had been issued against them. Three years later in 1957, the lodge was rebuilt and the bed capacity was increased from 8 to 14 beds.

The lodge’s ownership changed hands in 1961 when Sherbrooke Walker sold Treetops lodge to Sir Malin Sorsbie, who later sold it to Block Hotels Limited in 1966. Treetops Lodge continued to be expanded gradually, having a total of 40 rooms in 1983 and 50 rooms in 1996.

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