King Charles and Queen Camilla arrived on Jersey to begin their Channel Islands visit. It is the first visit by a monarch to the islands since Queen Elizabeth II’s 2005 trip.
The Channel Islands are comprised of the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey, with Guernsey including the Islands of Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Herm. These islands are close to the French coast and are not part of the United Kingdom but are instead British Crown Dependencies.
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On Jersey, King Charles is known as the Duke of Normandy first and foremost, a reference to the title of William the Conqueror before he took the English Crown.
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Upon arrival, on July 15th 2024, The King and Queen greeted waiting crowds in Royal Square before a special outdoor sitting of the States and Royal Court. The State Assembly in Jersey has 49 elected members.
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The King addressed the assembly sharing, ”Jersey has one of the oldest connections to the Crown and we are delighted to be here once again to celebrate the special and close relationship which binds us together. ”
The couple had a busy afternoon, meeting with different agriculture, fishing, and aquaculture companies and organisations on the island to learn about how they are working towards net zero. Queen Camilla was also treated to an unexpected display when two of the island’s famous Jersey cows got rather excited in the rainy weather. The King and Queen were presented with several cows as a gift although the animals will remain on the island.
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The King and Queen then enjoyed a march past from several different units at the King’s Parade in Liberation Square before they enjoyed a tea party with several different community members where they were able to meet with many volunteers, charity workers, and parishioners.
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There was a brief hiccup on Monday when King Charles and Queen Camilla were forced to shortly leave a public exhibition where they were meeting community members after protection identified a potential threat, but it turned out to be a false alarm and they were able to return quickly to continue meeting with the crowds.
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It proved to be an eventful day, with torrential rain hitting the square at one point. The King stopped to help The Queen on with her raincoat as both took shelter beneath umbrellas.
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The King and Queen will be in Guernsey on July 16th to continue their visit.