The Duke of Gloucester, Her Majesty The Queen’s first cousin and the grandchild of King George V and Queen Mary, was due to be visiting Guernsey and Sark as part of the islands’ respective ceremonies on 9 May commemorating 75 years since the Channel Islands were liberated.
The Lieutenant-Governors of Jersey and Guernsey announced the decision to cancel the visit just a week after it had been confirmed.
“We appreciate this will be a significant disappointment for Islanders who were looking forward to welcoming the Royal couple,” they wrote in a joint statement.
The announcement comes just hours after Liberation 75 celebrations were scaled back.
The Liberation Day Ceremony, which is traditionally held in Liberation Square, is one of the events that has been cancelled.
Liberation Day attracts the largest gathering of senior citizens in Jersey. It’s feared that would put the over-70s – who are among those most susceptible to catch the virus along with islanders with underlying health issues and weak immune systems – at risk.