Select a region
Queen Elizabeth II is known to have made six official visits to the Bailiwick of Guernsey during her long lifetime of duty.
She visited Guernsey during each of those occasions, and on four of her visits she also travelled to Alderney and Sark to meet islanders and to carry out her official duties.
The first of these visits to the Bailiwick came in 1949, when she was Her Royal Highness Princess Elizabeth, and the heir-apparent to her father, King George VI.
The then-Princess Elizabeth had been married for two years and her husband was at that time styled as His Royal Highness Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh.
The couple had a busy daytrip with a number of official duties scheduled for them. It is the first time that either are known to have visited the Bailiwick and they made time to stop in Alderney and Sark, as well as Jersey, before arriving in Guernsey.
Pictured: This image is saved in a photo album held at the Sark Seigneurie and is believed to show Her Majesty, then Princess Elizabeth and her husband, on a trip to Sark in 1949, where the Duke of Edinburgh officially opened the Harbour. They are with Dame Sybil Hathaway.
HRH Princess Elizabeth was to officially open one of the island’s most prominent public buildings during her time in Guernsey. She took tea at Saumarez Park where they met island dignitaries, before being taken on a scenic tour of the west coast of Guernsey and the countryside of St Saviour as they made their way to the new Princess Elizabeth Hospital.
The Princess and Duke were shown around the hospital – which remains the central medical facility in Guernsey – before HRH officially opened it with a silver key.
Following this landmark occasion, the Royal couple had dinner at the Old Government House Hotel, before departing the island that evening, on board HMS Anson.
Within three years of the ‘PEH’ opening, its namesake was crowned Queen. On the death of her father, Queen Elizabeth II acceded to the throne and during the early years of her reign she toured her Commonwealth to meet her subjects.
Pictured: Her Majesty opened the Princess Elizabeth Hospital during a visit in 1949.
During July 1957, Her Majesty, The Queen, accompanied by HRH, The Duke of Edinburgh, met more than 6,000 school children at Cambridge Park. The Royal couple were presented with gifts for their two children; Prince Charles and Princess Anne.
Guernsey’s Royal Court records of the visit said there was a ‘busy itinerary’ with a meeting of the Chief Pleas, an official and traditional court sitting, held at St George’s Hall.
This visit was seen as a celebration of the Queen’s coronation and the day ended with a firework display over Castle Cornet.
It would be 22 years before the Queen could return to the Bailiwick. By now her husband had been granted the title of Prince Philip, and the Royal couple had been blessed with two more children, and their first grandchild had been born.
Her Majesty and her husband sailed to the Bailiwick aboard HMS Britannia in 1978. From the harbour they held a walkabout in St Peter Port, including stopping at the Guernsey Market. Lunch was taken at the Royal Hotel before a second walkabout was held at St Peter’s village. Guernsey’s Royal Court’s records of this visit include a note that ‘crowds had gathered to see them’.
The Royal couple were shown around one of Guernsey’s traditional tomato vineries during this visit, reflecting the huge economic value the ‘Guernsey ‘tom’ still held at the time.
As they made their way back to St Peter Port harbour where 'thousands of children’ had gathered, they also stopped off at Cambridge Park to meet more members of the public. Prince Philip spent time at the-then St Peter Port School where he met young people involved in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. Her Majesty had returned to HMS Britannia in the meantime, and the Royal couple were later reunited for a reception and dinner on board the Royal Yacht that evening.
The following day the Royal tour continued with visits to Alderney and Sark where further crowds turned out to see them.
Pictured: A photo from the Seigneur's family album showing Her Majesty The Queen on a visit to Sark in 1949.
Tributes paid across the islands as Her Majesty Queen II dies
Lieutenant Governor pays tribute to Her Majesty the Queen
"HM offered an example to us all in her enduringly strong sense of duty and public service"
Chief Minister describes the Queen's "continually, constancy and commitment"
Comments
Comments on this story express the views of the commentator only, not Bailiwick Publishing. We are unable to guarantee the accuracy of any of those comments.