TEN YEARS OF THE CROWN: QUEEN DIAMBI KABATUSUILA CELEBRATES A DECADE OF LEADERSHIP IN THE HEART OF CONGO

A celebration of tradition, cultural identity, ancestral heritage, and continuity brings Her Royal Majesty together with her people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO 2026

Ten years after her coronation, Her Royal Majesty Queen Diambi Kabatusuila Tshiyoyo Muata Mukalenga Mukaji wa Nkashama wa Bakwa Luntu returns to the heart of her kingdom to celebrate a remarkable decade of leadership, tradition, culture, diplomacy, and commitment to her people.

The 10th anniversary of her coronation is being celebrated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, surrounded by the traditions and cultural heritage of her kingdom. The occasion brings together the symbols of African ancestry, community, and a living history passed down through generations.

For Queen Diambi, this milestone represents much more than the passage of ten years. It is a moment to honor the journey, the people who have walked alongside her, and the ancestral traditions that continue to define her kingdom’s identity.

Since her coronation on August 31, 2016, and her enthronement by the Bakwa Luntu chiefs on July 15, 2017, in Kananga, Queen Diambi has been received with the highest honors wherever she travels around the world.

She has met with heads of state, prime ministers, various national and local authorities, public servants, and traditional leaders, advocating for a new narrative for Africa based on equitable partnerships and mutual respect.

Her service has been recognized with official proclamations in the United States: a Citation from the State of Louisiana establishing April 25 as “Queen Diambi Day,” and a Proclamation from the City of Mount Vernon, New York, defining March 18 as “Queen Diambi Day”—tributes to her humanitarian work and her bridge-building efforts between Africa and its diaspora.

In recognition of her work toward the reunification of the African family, she was crowned “Grand Mother of the Bantu People of Brazil” in Salvador, Bahia, in 2019, where she also received the prestigious Tiradentes Medal, the highest honor of the Legislative Assembly of the State of Rio de Janeiro. In 2022, she was crowned Queen of the Historical Descendants of the Congo in Portobelo, Panama, representing the Congolese diaspora of Central America.

What distinguishes Queen Diambi from other global figures is not just where she has spoken, but how she has served.

Above all titles and honors, what makes her unique is her closeness to and compassion for the people.

Wherever she has gone—from villages in Kasaï to palaces, from the UN to orphanages in Kinshasa—she has always looked everyone in the eye and embraced them as family, not as strangers. She does not rule from a distance. She sits, eats, listens, and shares tears and laughter with her people. Her leadership is not performed; it is lived, with a mother’s heart.

This spirit is what has mobilized thousands of people around the world around her simple, powerful message: “We are one human family, and we can heal together while building bridges across all our differences.”

Over the past decade, Queen Diambi has become one of the most influential African voices on the global stage.

She has spoken at the United Nations (UN), the Climate Change Conferences (COP), and the Pontifical Academy of Sciences at the Vatican. She has been invited by leading universities worldwide, including the University of Oxford (Oxford Union), University of Cambridge, University of Exeter, City University, College of Staten Island, and the City University of New York (CUNY)—where she was honored with the President’s Medal and a Citation from the New York State Assembly—alongside many other institutions across Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

Her journey includes participating in major international documentaries. She contributed to the Netflix documentary series African Queens: Njinga, produced by Jada Pinkett Smith (winner of three Daytime Emmy Awards), and participated in several other documentaries, such as The Future is Now: All Eyes on Africa.

Queen Diambi has received numerous awards, distinctions, honorary titles, and lifetime achievement awards on prestigious platforms, including the Global Family Offices Investment Summit.

She has been featured on the covers of various magazines, and her work has been highlighted in television and media interviews on major national and international outlets, including the BBC, Netflix, Spirituality & Health, Face2Face Africa, and Business Live.

As a cultural ambassador, she has promoted Congolese fashion at international events like London Fashion Week through the Queen Diambi Collection, founded in 2017 to empower Congolese fashion designers and seamstresses. She has participated in various music and film festivals, using fashion, art, and music as languages of peace.

Beyond diplomacy, her leadership is rooted in concrete action. Through her foundation, the Elikia Hope Foundation, founded in New York, she has:

As an environmental activist, she is affiliated with UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere programme and has been a leading voice in the fight against plastic pollution, launching collaborative ocean plastic-free programs at the University of Exeter. Her efforts were pivotal in the passage of a water protection law in Mexico.

Celebrating this anniversary in the Democratic Republic of the Congo carries deep symbolic meaning.

It is on the land of her ancestors, surrounded by her people and the traditions of her kingdom, that Her Royal Majesty marks ten years since receiving the crown.

The imagery from the celebration captures the richness of African cultural expression. Traditional clothing, ceremonial adornments, ancestral symbols, and cultural representatives create a powerful visual connection between the past, present, and future.

One photograph shows Queen Diambi surrounded by men wearing traditional attire and ceremonial body decorations, highlighting the cultural heritage that forms an essential part of the celebration.

Another image captures the Queen in a more intimate and festive setting, sharing a meal and conversing with community members and guests—a reflection of her unique proximity to the people.

Together, the images tell a story of heritage, belonging, and celebration.

Queen Diambi’s journey is also significant for how she embodies traditional leadership as a woman.

Her public role bridges traditional authority, cultural diplomacy, and humanitarian engagement, allowing her to serve as a bridge between ancestral institutions and the international community.

Her leadership represents an Africa that honors its past while continuing to look toward the future.

A decade on the throne is a significant milestone. It is an opportunity to reflect on the journey, acknowledge those who have contributed along the way, and look toward the generations who will inherit tomorrow’s traditions.

A crown does not symbolize just one person. It represents a history, a people, a memory, and a responsibility toward the future.

As she celebrates ten years of her coronation, Queen Diambi Kabatusuila celebrates not only her own journey but also the enduring cultural identity of the people and traditions she represents.

And in the heart of Congo, surrounded by her people and her kingdom’s heritage, this story finds its deepest meaning.

Ten years of the crown. Ten years of history. Ten years of tradition. Ten years of compassionate leadership.

Happy 10th Coronation Anniversary, Her Royal Majesty Queen Diambi Kabatusuila. From the heart of Congo to the world, may the legacy continue.