Ruth Williams Khama

Ruth Williams Khama was a woman who lived through many big changes. She was born in London in 1923. Her father was a captain in the British Army. During the Second World War, Ruth worked as an ambulance driver. She drove at many airfields in the south of England. After the war, she worked as a clerk in London.

In June 1947, Ruth met Seretse Khama at a dance. Seretse was a prince from the Bamangwato people. He was studying law in London at that time. The two people loved jazz music together. They fell in love very quickly. They married at the Kensington Register Office in 1948. Their marriage was famous all over the world.

Their marriage caused a lot of trouble for many reasons. At that time, South Africa used a system called apartheid. This system kept people of different races apart. The British government wanted to buy uranium from South Africa. They needed this for their own nuclear program. To keep the peace with South Africa, the British government stopped the marriage from being a church wedding. They also told Seretse he could not go home to his people.

Ruth and Seretse lived in exile in England for many years. They lived in a place called Croydon starting in 1951. Ruth felt very lonely during this time. She had two kittens named Pride and Prejudice. These cats were her close friends. Ruth also had a daughter named Jacqueline. They had more children later, including twins named Anthony and Tshekedi.

Finally, the couple was allowed to return home in 1956. This happened after the Bamangwato people sent a message to Queen Elizabeth II. Seretse became a leader and helped his land become independent. In 1966, Botswana became its own nation. Seretse became the first president of Botswana. Ruth became the first lady of the country. She served in this role from 1966 until 1980.