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Some of the detail around the upcoming visit of King Charles III and Queen Camilla have been released so people who want to see them can start making their plans.
The Royal couple are due to be in Guernsey on Tuesday 16 July with events planned for the St Peter Port seafront and Les Cotils.
This is their first visit as King and Queen, following His Majesty’s Accession in September 2022, and the organisers are expecting large numbers of people will turn out to see them.
Both King Charles and Camilla visited Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Herm in July 2012 - when titled Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall - while he has also made a number of other prior visits to the Bailiwick.
On this occasion they will only be visiting Guernsey due to time constraints.
Arrangements have been made for Alderney and Sark to be represented at events in Guernsey though with political, cultural, and environmental themes all covered to reflect the King's duties and his personal interests.
Pictured: The-then Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall visited Sark and Alderney in 2012. (Tracey Bougourd)
The visit to Guernsey will be centred around two events which are open to members of the public - the first on the St Peter Port seafront and the second at Les Cotils.
Events in town will involve political and ceremonial elements, before the King and Queen meet members of the community.
Les Cotils will be the base for Alderney and Sark representatives who will meet the Royal couple. A family friendly event is planned for Cambridge park so people can see the Royal couple travelling to and from the events at Les Cotils.
Special States sitting and Ceremony of Homage:
Their Majesties will arrive on the St Peter Port seafront late morning, where the King will preside over a short special sitting of the States of Deliberation, held outdoors on the town quay. Members of the public will be able to watch and there will be live screens set up for everyone to be able to see it. This will also be live streamed online.
The States sitting will be immediately followed by a 'Ceremony of Homage', a tradition that has historically been observed when the Monarch first visits Guernsey.
This ceremony is held in French, where historic title-holders, Seigneurs and Dames of small parcels of land known as ‘Fiefs’, are invited to pay homage to His Majesty.
Unveiling of the plaque at Crown Pier:
After the Ceremony of Homage, Their Majesties will head to the landward end of the Crown Pier to unveil a special plaque commemorating their visit.
This location is the same place where the Proclamation of His Majesty was made in 2022 in the days immediately following the death of his mother, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Pictured: Deputy Peter Ferbrache and the Sheriff, Jason Savident, at the Proclamation of His Majesty King Charles III in September 2022.
Showcase of Guernsey culture, heritage, produce and environmental initiative:
After the unveiling of the plaque, The King and Queen will be invited to walk down the Crown Pier where a series of demonstrations and stalls will have been set up to showcase Guernsey’s rich heritage including the island’s native language, local produce, and locally-made guernseys.
They will meet groups who work to preserve and enhance our natural environment and biodiversity, including the Nature Commission and La Société Guernesiaise.
The RNLI lifeboats ‘Spirit of Guernsey’ and ‘Harold Hobbs’, and the St John marine ambulance ‘The Flying Christine’ will be moored at pontoons alongside the Crown Pier and the crew members will be among those who meet the Royal Couple.
The stalls and demonstrations will remain in place throughout the afternoon for the public to visit.
Transport to town:
The St Peter Port seafront will be closed from the morning of Sunday 14 July (for a Seafront Sunday) throughout Monday 15 July and Tuesday 16 July.
On Monday and Tuesday, the Town bus terminus will temporarily relocate to North Beach and the buses will operate a Saturday service on the Tuesday.
Numerous parking restrictions will be in place, and people are encouraged to use public transport, walk, or cycle, to the seafront if possible.
There will be blue badge parking on the Albert Pier and at North Beach with additional bicycle parking on the Albert Pier, and extra motorcycle parking at the South Esplanade.
There will also be further road closures in St Peter Port, for short periods, while the King and Queen are driven to and from the seafront.
Cambridge Park Family Event:
For people who may not wish to join in events on the seafront, families with small children, or people who prefer to avoid crowds or long periods of standing there will be a viewing spot at Cambridge Park as Their Majesties travel by car to and from Les Cotils.
Pictured: Les Cotils.
Food retailers and children’s entertainment has been arranged for Cambridge Park throughout the day, supported by the St Peter Port Parish officials, with people encouraged to also take picnics and blankets.
There will be a large screen in the park to show the livestream of events along the seafront, and the afternoon’s event at Les Cotils.
Les Cotils - Alderney and Sark:
Events at Les Cotils will solely focus on the delegations from Alderney and Sark who have been invited to Guernsey to meet the King and Queen with an opportunity to showcase various aspects of each island’s community, culture, history, and environmental projects.
Alderney’s delegation will be led by the President of the States of Alderney, and Sark’s will be led by the Seigneur.
There will be representatives from a number of community groups from each island, with pupils from Sark school and St Anne’s School in Alderney also in attendance. The children are expected to perform a short recital showcasing each island’s unique history and culture.
Safety information:
The organisers have urged people to prepare for the weather, as it may be a hot day so anyone attending events should take their own water, food, and sun- cream and should dress appropriately for the weather.
While it is hoped that as many people as possible will welcome the King and Queen, in the event of extremely high numbers of people attending it may be necessary to restrict access in order to ensure the safety of all members of the community.
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