Jersey will not be getting a Royal Visit for the 80th anniversary of Liberation, but Princess Anne will be joining the celebrations in Guernsey and Sark.
The Bailiff confirmed this afternoon that Jersey would however be welcoming the His Excellency Mr Miguel Berger, the German Ambassador to the Court of St James’s.
“For me it is very important to ensure we share our culture and heritage with others and it is an important signal in these times of global uncertainty, that the German Ambassador takes part in our milestone commemoration,” Sir Timothy Le Cocq commented.
“A way of looking outward as well as inward”
“We see this engagement and that of other attending diplomats as a way of Jersey celebrating its place in the international community, a way of looking outward as well as inward, and that has been our focus.”
He added that it was “wonderful, and perhaps in keeping with a broader tradition, that both islands are celebrating in different ways”.
“I was… very pleased to hear that Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal will be visiting Guernsey to celebrate their anniversary,” he said, adding that: “Jersey is very fortunate to host HRH the Princess Royal on a frequent basis primarily due to HRH’s Patronage of Durrell and I am sure she will make Guernsey’s celebration special to islanders.”
The confirmation came just as it was confirmed by States Members that Liberation Day would officially be adopted as the island’s national day.
Music festival and sports matches planned
A music festival, parish parties, displays of archives and an inaugural ‘Liberation Games’ are be among the features of island-wide celebrations marking 80 years since the liberation of Jersey.
The Liberation Games are due to be run by Jersey Sport and include a variety of different sports and activities designed to “bring together parishes to compete in a series of friendly and accessible games”.
“I, with the Lieutenant Governor and Chief Minister, want to ensure that our Senior Citizens who experience wartime Britain and our young people who will carry on the memories and maintain the importance of our freedom, will enjoy not only Liberation Day but also the activities surrounding 9th May,” the Bailiff said.
Guernsey celebrations
Planned events in Guernsey include a parade and church service with the Lieutenant Governor and Bailiff both attending.
Her Royal Highness will spend time in Guernsey on Friday 9 May before travelling to Sark on Saturday 10 May to mark the 80th anniversary of each island’s liberation from German rule.
While the exact details will be released closer to the time, it has been confirmed that she will undertake a number of official engagements during her time in each island including meeting people who lived through the Occupation, evacuees, and veterans.
Her Royal Highness will also meet those involved in organising, and those volunteering to run, this year’s 80th anniversary events in Guernsey and Sark.
Jersey’s last major Liberation Day celebration was due to be in 2020, but the pandemic put a stop to the planned 75th anniversary celebrations.
Instead, many events took place virtually due to lockdown.
Rather than giving his traditional address to before a crowd, the Bailiff’s speech was delivered in video format in 2020 and 2021, before in-person celebrations returned in 2022.
