`Welcome to Zanzibar,Charles replied: ‘Thank you. It's my first time here. It's a great place to liv

Babylon

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Feb 5, 2009
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[h=1]Camilla gets the Royal tattoo (but don’t worry, it’s only henna)[/h]The Duchess of Cornwall is not one for alternative fashions - but it looks as though her trip to Africa has brought out a different side to her.
Camilla showed off an interesting tattoo on her palm today as she continued her eight-day Commonwealth tour in Zanizabar.
But thankfully for the rest of the Royal family, it was henna ink and will likely fade in a day or two.


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Royal visit: Camilla shows off her henna tattoo - which got a little smudged as she got hotter and hotter on her trip to Zanzibar


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Retail therapy: Camilla visits a gift shop in Zanzibar


And while Camilla experimented with body art, the Prince of Wales did some work on his dancing.
Still, it was definitely (as Len Goodman would say) a ‘SEVEN!!!’ for effort when Charles took the dancefloor on the official visit.

In fact the prince couldn’t wait to take centre stage when he was greeted by a troop of local dancers.

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Hitting the dancefloor: Charles and Camilla were keen to take part in a chapauringe dance

Charles swayed contentedly along to a tune played on a zumari, similar to the instrument snake-charmers use.

Camilla was hot on his heels though and, clutching her white parasol, she swayed her hips to the music, while a Zanzibari woman wrapped a yellow, red and black khanga shawl around her.
The couple then did an impromptu dance called the chapauringe in the searing heat within the walls of the Old Fort in Stone Town, the capital of Zanzibar.



The royal couple flew to the idyllic isle, which is a semi-autonomous part of the country, on a private jet from its commercial capital, Dar es Salaam.
Moments after her exertions on the makeshift dancefloor, however, the Duchess appeared close to fainting and had sit down in a private room as she struggled with the 95F heat.
Just inside the entrance to the House of Wonders, Zanzibar's national museum, a flustered-looking Camilla began repeatedly dabbing perspiration off her face with a handkerchief.

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A fellow dancer placed a yellow, red and black khanga on Camilla's shoulders but she soon overheated in the hot sunshine


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Getting into the spirit: Prince Charles surprised, and delighted, his fellow dancers

Royal aides blocked photographers from taking pictures as she was led upstairs away from the throng surrounding the royal party.
When she re-joined the tour five minutes later, she still looked disorientated and aides pushed back the media to give her some space.
But after another few minutes, the 64-year-old Duchess had recovered her zest.
With sweat dripping down her back, she showed off a smudged henna tattoo she had just been given in the fort. Appearing to blame the smudging on the heat, she said: ‘It's ruining my tattoo. I'm so cross.’


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Welcome: The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall arrived in Zanzibar this morning

A senior royal aide said: ‘She's OK. She just needed a sit down for five minutes. She's struggling with the heat, like everyone.’
Indeed, despite being a veteran of many an overseas tour Charles, too, was mopping his brow by now.
Inside the House of Wonders, Stone Town's most prominent building, the couple met aid workers to learn about development projects, including a British-US initiative to use bed netting to wipe out malaria on the island.
Afterwards there was the chance for a brief spot of sight-seeing.


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Africa tour: Charles and Camilla outside the House of Wonders, Stone Town's most prominent building where the couple met aid workers to learn about development projects

Camilla picked up a handwoven basket for £12, some lime essential oil and a miniature door, while Charles bought some honey and soap.
He looked at a jar of bilimbi pickle, but when he was told it was quite spicy, said: ‘Too hot for me!’
Word about the royal visitors quickly spread, and tourists and locals waited to get a glimpse of them walking by.
One shopkeeper shouted: ‘Welcome to Zanzibar, the most peaceful island in the world!’

Charles replied: ‘Thank you. It's my first time here. It's a great place to live.’


 
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