Coronation party plans taking shape

Thursday 06 April 2023

Next month's bumper four day Bank Holiday weekend will see a number of public events held across the Bailiwick to mark the King's Coronation ahead of Liberation Day events in Guernsey, Herm and Sark.

A programme of events is being planned for the Coronation with events spanning the 5 - 8 May, before the islands' own 'national day' is marked on the 9 May in Guernsey, and 10 May in Sark.

Nikki Symons has been involved with organising many of the Coronation events, as well as Guernsey's Liberation Day commemorations and festivities.

The Head of Marketing and Events for Sport and Culture said public events such as those planned for the 5 - 9 May in Guernsey are always very well supported.

Pictured: Crowds gathered to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee last year.

"Having the Coronation so close to Liberation Day and a whole weekend of amazing events, we're getting that all ready so people can remember it and celebrate it in the right way," said Ms Symons.

She said the public support means such events always have a great atmosphere, whatever the weather.

"We're very lucky because we get a lot of support and a lot of local groups that will really get behind it and want to be part of it. The community generally is hugely supportive, not only putting those events on - whatever the weather. All these out door events and big things we do we always know that people will turn out and they love it.

"It gives people who aren't in the UK a chance to really feel they are part of the events even thought we're in Guernsey because we have such strong links with the Crown and we have amazing facilities and we're very blessed that we can put on these things."

Pictured: Two of the Coronation events will be focused at Castle Cornet - a 21-gun salute and the Lighting up of the Nation.

Ms Symons said the Guernsey events have been planned to follow UK events closely and the main national initiatives - including Ring for the King, the Big Lunch, and the Big Help Out will be replicated here. 

There'll also be a 21-gun salute from Castle Cornet, the 'lighting up' of Castle Cornet, Fort Grey, and Beau Sejour, and live screenings of the Coronation service itself and the Coronation Concert.

Local events will include a Vigil for the King the night before the Coronation, a military parade, and a Service of Thanksgiving for the Coronation.

The Weighbridge Mast will be festooned in the Union and Guernsey flags for a month from the end of April until after the end of May and all Bailiwick children will receive a commemorative Guernsey Coronation stamp later this year.

Details of all the events can be found at gov.gg/coronation.

Pictured: Guernsey's Town Church will host a Service of Thanksgiving after the Coronation.

With two of the events having a religious feel - the Vigil prior to the Coronation and the Thanksgiving Service after it - the Dean of Guernsey said it is right that the links between the Monarchy and the Church are reflected at such times.

"The English Crown has been intimately associated with the Church right from the days of William the Conquerer, which takes us to the links with the Duchy of Normandy of which the Channel Islands are a part."

Reverend Tim Barker believes King Charles III has a strong faith, as his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II did.

"He has made it very clear that he is a defender of the faith but also has a wide interest in the whole breadth of religious tradition across the United Kingdom and across the Commonwealth and further afield. So it is a tradition that the Coronation is part of a Christian service, the hints we've had are that it will be rather broader in its focus than in the past. But at the heart of what will happen on the 6 May is a Christian service in which his Majesty will be anointed."

Reverend Barker said the Vale, Forest, St Peter's and the Town Church will all ring their bells for the Ring for the King event on the morning of Saturday 6 May.

The night before that, the Forest Church will host the Vigil for the King which will be open to all, but with a focus on prayers for the King and Queen Consort.

The Service of Thanksgiving the day after the Coronation will also be open to all and will reflect the links between the islands and the Monarchy.

Pictured: The KGV will host the live screening of the Coronation and the Coronation Concert.

Ms Symons said that all of the planned events are open to the public, with both the live screening of the Coronation on Saturday 6 May and the Coronation Concert on 7 May being staged at the KGV.

She hopes that children will take the opportunity to dress up as Kings, Queens, Princes or Princesses, while everyone is welcome to dress in the red, white and blue colours often associated with the UK.

The Big Lunch will be held at the EDABL Guernsey Seafront Sunday on 7 May, with a 3,000 passenger cruise ship also due to visit that day.

The Bank Holiday Monday will be focused on the Big Help Out, which is a nationwide initiative to give everyone the chance to volunteer with the Association of Guernsey Charities able to match people up with local good causes if they wish.