We’ve been finding out exactly what King Charles III and Queen Camilla will be doing during their visit to Jersey.
Islanders last welcomed a reigning monarch to the island in 2005, when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II visited to celebrate the island’s 800 years of allegiance to the Crown.
Naturally, the island is gearing up for a huge celebration of not just everything royal, but also everything Jersey.
We’ve put together a detailed guide for everything happening on Monday (15 July) and where you can watch the historic occasion.
The Royal Mace, gifted to Jersey by King Charles II
Parliament and Court Sittings – The Royal Square
When King Charles III and Queen Camilla arrive in St Helier, they will be led to the Royal Square by the Royal Mace.
The mace, dating back to 1663, was given to Jersey by King Charles II as recognition for the island’s loyalty to the crown during the Civil War.
A special sitting of the island’s parliament, the States Assembly, will occur with all 49 elected States members gathered.
The Bailiff, Sir Tim Le Cocq, will read the Loyal Address, marking the sovereign’s visit. His Majesty will respond.
A sitting of the Royal Court will follow, with the prayer of the court read in French, before five senior Seigneurs pay homage to the Monarch.
King Charles III will not receive ducks as a gift, but rather their eggs, as a symbol of sustenance, a duty expected of the Seigneurs when a sovereign visits.
The Royal Square was the scene of the Proclamation of King Charles III in September 2022.
Jersey Expo – The Weighbridge
Their Majesties will go to the Weighbridge to see the best the island offers at the Jersey Expo.
The King and Queen will tour displays ranging from Jersey Cows to the Beekeepers Association, and oysters to Jersey Royals.
John Garton, CEO of Genuine Jersey, says it is exciting to bring everything to town.
“The first thing they will see as they enter Weighbridge Place will be the Beekeepers Association. As they exit that wildflower meadow, they enter an area which we will create for Jersey Royals and then there’s a mock côtils (the steep hillside fields where the potatoes are grown) It is going to have different stages of a potato’s growth.
As the Royal party exits that area they enter Jersey Dairy and there’s going to be a pen with seven heifers.”
Read: Seven Jersey cows to be gifted to the King
Mr Garton continues:
“In a fisheries section, there will be a touch-tank where we will see the different varieties of shellfish and wet fish. The next pitch is Jersey Sea Salt, so we have a mock-up of a working polytunnel on site.
“The next area will be Claire Haithwaite Ceramics. She collects clay, and then she throws pots, all in her garden shed. Then the next (exhibit) is the oyster beds.”
Their Majesties will also participate in Jersey’s popular annual potato-growing competition.
King Charles and Queen Camilla will choose a bucket of the world-famous spuds each and dig them up.
Judges will then see who has the heaviest yield and largest number of potatoes.
Presentation of the King’s Colours
Another important part of the King’s visit is the presentation of his colours to the Jersey Sea Cadets, who have already had an exciting year, winning the Gibraltar Cup and enjoying their 75th Anniversary.
Sub-Lieutenant Karen Skelhorn says it is a real privilege to be chosen to receive the King’s Colours.
“I’m the youngest and newest officer, I’m the only female officer in TS Jersey. The last female officer retired in 1993, so they haven’t had a female officer since then.
I’m really proud to be the one that’s accepting this on behalf of the unit.”
The Jersey Sea Cadets is the largest unit in the British Isles.
The colour is a reference to the ceremonial flag and holds a symbolic value of loyalty to the King.
Each unit has a unique colour which has original designs and insignia.
The Jersey Sea Cadets are formed of around 160 10 to 18-year-olds, making it the largest contingent in the British Isles.
They participate in maritime training and leadership experiences and have been recognised by the Ministry of Defence since 1949.
The charity started in Jersey in 1947 and the cadets have seen every royal visit in Jersey since 1975.
The rest of the King’s Parade comprises the Band of the Island of Jersey, Jersey Field Squadron, Veterans, emergency services, four Cadet units, Scouts, and Guides.
After the parade, members of the Band of the Island of Jersey will meet their Majesties.
The King and Queen will also have a tea party with the community, including 100 year-old Ernest Thorne, the island’s last surviving Normandy Veteran, who met King Charles III earlier this year in Portsmouth at official events to celebrate D-Day.
Parishioners from all 12 parishes will also attend the party, as well as members from Royal Patronages, arts and literary groups, emergency services, faith leaders and several volunteers.
The Band of the Island of Jersey will play in the Royal Square and march in the King’s Parade.
Their Majesties’ public engagements are scheduled to take place between approximately 1pm and 4.30pm.
An online livestream begins at 1pm and the events are being shown on a big screen in Parade Gardens.
Royal History in Jersey
The first time His Majesty came to the island was in 1968 when he was 19.
He came to Jersey to help in an archaeological dig at La Cotte de St Brelade, first discovered more than 140 years ago.
Digs at the site have unearthed many interesting artefacts telling stories about the island’s history during the Ice Age.
Picture Credit: Societe Jersiase Photo Archive.
His Majesty visited again in 1995, when he was 46, to mark VE Day’s 50th Anniversary Celebrations.
He attended a street party along the high street in St Helier and met hundreds of children celebrating with their lunches.
The next time the King and Queen would visit would be 2004 when they celebrated the 800-year relationship between Jersey and the Crown.
Here, he switched on his mother’s famous holographic portrait by Chris Levine at the official launch at Jersey Museum.
During his two-day stay in the Channel Islands, he attended the Royal Court and watched the rehearsals of ‘Guys and Dolls’ performed by Hautlieu School’s pupils.
The then Prince of Wales traversed Grainville’s new climbing wall in 2012. Picture Credit: Jerripedia
King Charles III and Queen Camilla last came to the island in 2012 as the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall to mark the late Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
They visited Grainville Secondary School where the then Duchess of Cornwall met pupils at the school and the former Prince of Wales toured the new gym and, of course, had to try the climbing wall.
His Royal Highness also went to 16 New Street where he joked that the toilets flush.
The couple toured the Central Market and met many vendors who spoke to them about their stalls.
Ian Rayson from Cockscrew Jersey spoke to Channel 103 for the King’s Coronation and said they had his favourite champagne open and ready for his arrival.
“They were lovely, it was just nice to meet them, very down to earth and very friendly, a lovely couple.”
Nelia Frango, from Market Flowers, told us Charles and Camilla were great to talk to.
“He was lovely. He stopped to talk to us and was telling us about gardening and flowers.”
You can follow the Royal Visit on Channel 103, on social media @Channel103 and online at channel103.com.
