**Actress Joanna Lumley is due to meet Nepal’s president later as she continues her visit to the country.**The presidential visit follows a triumphant arrival in Kathmandu where she was mobbed by hundreds of well-wishers and Gurkha veterans.
Ms Lumley was greeted with garlands of flowers, colourful scarves and signs that described her as a “goddess”.
Ms Lumley, whose father was a Gurkha regiment officer, fronted a campaign for UK settlement rights for Gurkhas.
The former Avengers star will meet President Dr Ram Baran Yadav and Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal before addressing a meeting at the capital’s city hall.
‘Chaos’
Her group will also have afternoon tea with the British ambassador to Nepal, Dr Andrew Hall, before laying a wreath at a war memorial near the embassy.
On Tuesday, Ms Lumley will visit Jhapa and Dharan to meet Gurkhas; on Wednesday the group will meet members of the Gurkha Welfare Trust charity; and on Thursday she will visit with Gurkhas’ widows.
“My friends of Nepal, I am your family coming to Nepal for the first time”
Joanna Lumley
Finally, before flying back to the UK on 1 August, Ms Lumley will visit Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha, and then return to Kathmandu to visit orphans and homeless children.
The BBC’s Alastair Leithead in Kathmandu said there was “chaos” at Tribhuvan International Airport when Ms Lumley arrived.
He added that Ms Lumley was regarded as an “absolute hero” in Nepal following her campaigns on behalf of the Gurkhas.
She greeted the crowd with the Gurkha battle cry “Ayo Gurkhali”.
Ms Lumley added: "My friends of Nepal, I am your family coming to Nepal for the first time.
‘The rest is history’
“I want to thank you so much.”
Some of those who turned out to meet her carried placards which read: “Goddess Joanna” and “Thank you.”
Ms Lumley is travelling with Gurkha Justice campaigner Peter Carroll, who started the campaign for Gurkhas’ UK settlement rights.
He said some people were expected to walk for three days just to be a part of Ms Lumley’s visit.
Mr Carroll said he first contacted Ms Lumley after a women in Kent tapped him on the shoulder and suggested he ask her to get involved. Mr Carroll added: “The rest is history.”
In May, the government said all retired Gurkha soldiers - originally from Nepal - with at least four years service in the British Army, could stay in the UK.
Are you in Nepal Will you be meeting Ms Lumley Tell us your experiences using the form below.
A selection of your comments may be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below.
Send your pictures and videos to [email protected], text them to +44 7725 100 100 or if you have a large file you can upload here.
At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws.