Ruth Williams Khama

Who was Ruth Williams Khama?

Ruth Williams Khama, Lady Khama was the wife of Botswana's first president Sir Seretse Khama, the Paramount Chief of its Bamangwato tribe. She served as the inaugural First Lady of Botswana from 1966 to 1980.

Lady Khama was a former WAAF ambulance driver from Blackheath, London. She met the then Prince Seretse Khama while he was attending law school in England and she was working as a clerk at Lloyd's of London. Their interracial marriage in 1948 provoked discomfort in both South Africa and, initially, Botswana, and they lived as exiles in England until 1956. They then moved to Botswana. Lady Khama was an influential, politically active first lady during her husband's tenure as president, 1966–1980.

Her sons Ian and Tshekedi became prominent politicians in Botswana. Ian Khama became the President of Botswana in 2008.

A film, A Marriage of Inconvenience, based on the Michael Dutfield book with same name, was made in 1990 about the Khamas. A book, Colour Bar, has been published about the Khamas' relationship and struggles. In addition, it has also been suggested that the experiences of the Khamas, as well as the somewhat contemporary case of 1950s celebutante Peggy Cripps' marriage to the African anti-colonialist Nana Joe Appiah, influenced the writing of the Oscar-winning feature film, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner.