A Marriage of Inconvenience ~ Michael Dutfield

A Marriage of Inconvenience ~ Michael Dutfield

The persecution of Seretse and Ruth Khama

Large hard cover with dust jacket 
Excellent condition 

Michael Dutfield recounts the extraordinary true story of Ruth Williams, a white Englishwoman, and Seretse Khama, heir to the chieftainship of the Bamangwato tribe in Bechuanaland (modern-day Botswana). Their interracial marriage in 1948 ignited a political firestorm that reverberated across continents. Despite the tribes acceptance of Ruth as their queen, the British governmentmotivated by racial prejudice and geopolitical interestslaunched a campaign to prevent Seretse from assuming his rightful role. Dutfield draws on newly available ministerial telegrams and cabinet documents to expose the calculated efforts of Attlees Labour government to exile Seretse and separate the couple during Ruths pregnancy. The book is both a personal love story and a political drama, revealing the intersection of colonial power, race, and resistance. Through archival detail and emotional depth, Dutfield restores dignity to a couple whose union challenged the empire and helped shape the future of Botswana.