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TIMELINE: King Charles III's visits to Jersey

TIMELINE: King Charles III's visits to Jersey

Saturday 06 May 2023

TIMELINE: King Charles III's visits to Jersey

Saturday 06 May 2023


In celebration of the Coronation of King Charles III, Express takes a look back at his past visits to the island...

King Charles III has visited Jersey on four separate occasions – from his first visit in 1968 during his university days, to his most recent visit with the Queen Consort in 2012 for the late-Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

Here's a timeline of His Royal Highness' visits to the island...

1968

The then-Prince Charles visited Jersey for the first time in 1968 when he was a young archeology student at Cambridge University.  

That year, Prince Charles visited the island in order to take part in excavation work at La Cotte de St. Brelade, one of the most important archeological sites in the Channel Islands that has thrown up over 200,000 artefacts from the Palaeolithic period. 

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Pictured: His Royal Highness working at La Cotte in 1968. (Société Jersiaise Photo Archive)

The first modern excavations of the site began in 1968, lead by Professor Charles McBurney, who was the young Prince's Archeology professor at Cambridge. As a result, the future king took part in the archeological excavation of one of Jersey's oldest inhabited places. 

Thanks to the Cambridge excavations, almost 100,000 large stone artefacts were recovered alongside thousands of mammal remains including large heaps of mammoth and woolly rhinoceros bones.

In July 2022, His Royal Highness became the Patron of Jersey Heritage’s La Cotte de St. Brelade Archaeological Project; responsible for the management and further excavation of the site.

1995

On 9 May 1995, His Royal Highness visited Jersey to take part in the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the Liberation. 

In his message to the island printed in the programme offered for the occasion, His Royal Highness wrote: "The years of occupation were borne with great fortitude and it is to the credit of Jersey that, during this time, the system of Government was maintained without apparent interruption. Throughout that process the will and determination of islanders shone through...

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Pictured: The unveiling of the Liberation sculpture. 

"We are commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the end of the war in Europe in the spirit of peace and reconciliation. Jersey has long adopted that theme through an open acknowledgement of what it experienced during the Occupation years and by welcoming back, as tourists, many who were part of the Occupying Force.

"During the year you will also welcome many from all over the world, including Russia and the United States. Jersey is part of a wider world and therefore part of the developments that have given us all the chance to grow together in that spirit of peace and reconciliation.

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Pictured: HRH greeting islanders during the celebration for the 50th anniversary of the liberation. 

"Let us hope and pray that we can continue ot go forward in that spirit and that Jersey, itself, continues to enjoy the peace and prosperity that it earned as a result of that momentous day 50 years ago."

During the ceremony for the re-opening of Liberation Square, His Royal Highness unveiled the Liberation Sculpture – designed by UK sculptor, Philip Jackson – and met with people present at the Liberation including crew from the HMS Beagle, men of Force 135 (the British Army units that Liberated the island), nurses from 1945 and deportees.  

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Pictured: His Royal Highness meets the embroiders of the Liberation Tapestry. 

He also met Lt. Cdr. Williams, Capt. HMS Beagle in 1945, and Surgeon Capt. McDonald, who was the Liberator to land on the island. 

Finally, His Royal Highness unveiled the Occupation Tapestry. Consisting of 12 panels depicting life under the Occupation, it was the largest community art project ever undertaken in Jersey. Each panel contains 626,688 stitches, with 7,520,256 stitches in the finished tapestry.

2004

On Tuesday 22 June 2004, His Royal Highness arrived in Jersey in celebration of the island's 800 years of allegiance to the Crown.

The centrepiece of the visit was a special States sitting at Mont Orgueil on the afternoon of 22 June, during which the States Members reaffirmed their loyalty to the Crown. 

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Pictured: The unveiling of "Equanimity" during His Royal Highness' 2004 visit.  

At the same event, young actors – under the direction of Arts Centre director Daniel Austin – presented the history of the island’s constitution and the States.

During his 2004 visit, His Royal Highness unveiled the 'Equanimity' portrait of the late Queen, which is still on display at Mont Orgueil. 

This portrait was commissioned by Jersey Heritage, and created by artist Chris Levine alongside holographer Rob Munday.

Following two sittings in which over 10,000 images of the Queen were made, the two artists managed to create the first holographic portrait of the Queen.

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Pictured: The unveiling of the needle, 2004. 

His Royal Highness also unveiled the commemorative statue for the Queens Golden jubilee, the 14 metre high needle pointing to the sky on the waterfront designed by UK artist Richard Perry. 

Mr Perry said the design of the needle had been inspired by the colours of the sea and the movement of the water he had observed at the Waterfront.

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Pictured: HRH at the opening of the new Hautlieu school building. 

Finally, His Royal Highness also presided over the official opening of the newly rebuilt Hautlieu school building. 

2012

On 18 July 2012, High Royal Highness and the then-Duchess of Cornwall visited the island on behalf of The Queen in celebration of her Diamond Jubilee.

It was the first time that the Duchess of Cornwall accompanied His Royal Highness on a visit to the Channel Islands.

Upon arrival, they were received at Jersey Airport by the then-Lieutenant-Governor and Commander-in-Chief General Sir John McColl.

Their Royal Highnesses opened a new building at Grainville School, where he also tried out the climbing wall. 

Whilst at Granville, His Royal Highness also met members of Jersey Prince's Trust.

Janni Boon, who was 21 at the time, told Prince Charles how the Trust helped him find a job as a youth worker after years of struggling to find permanent work. 

Mr Boon told the BBC at the time: "I always thought I wanted to be a chef, so I didn't pay much attention to my school grades. But when that didn't work out, I was stuck with few qualifications and little work experience, which made it very difficult for me to get a job." 

The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall subsequently attended a Special Meeting of the States in the Royal Square.

In a speech delivered to the assembly, His Royal Highness said: "I can assure you that The Queen will be deeply touched, as my wife and I have been, to learn of the warmth of the welcome you have extended to us here today.

"In return, I know Her Majesty will wish me to express how this great island, of rich history and strong loyalties, will remain so very dear to her heart, now and in the years to come."

After the sitting, the pair visited St. Helier's Central market.

As Patron for the National Trust for Jersey, His Royal Highness also visited a newly restored property at 16 New Street and visited St. Helier Parish Church to view the recently completed restoration work.

Before departing, they attended a States Dinner given by the Bailiff of Jersey and Lady Birt at Samarès Manor, St. Clement.

Pictured top: His Royal Highness taking part in a street party in St. Helier as part of the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the Liberation. 

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