Queen in Jamaica, 1953

The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh continued their 6-month Commonwealth Tour in Jamaica, on this day in 1953, following Tours around the United Kingdom after the Queen’s Coronation. The stops in Bermuda and Jamaica were followed by visits to Fiji, Tonga, New Zealand, Australia, Ceylon, Aden, Uganda, Malta and Gibraltar.

The Queen (wearing the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara and the Nizam of Hyderabad Necklace) and Duke of Edinburgh attended a spectacular Banquet hosted by the Governor of Jamaica at King’s House in Kingston, where a choir of Jamaican singers gave a Concerts.

The Queen also heard a loyal address from the Speaker during their visit to Headquarters House in Kingston, and also visited the Rodney Memorial at Spanish Town, before knighting Sir Kenneth Kennedy O’Connor

The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh drove around Sabina Park, home of the Jamaican cricket team, to review 20,000 schoolchildren.

The Queen and Duke later paid a visit to Jamaica in 1966, during an extensive Tour of fifteen Commonwealth Realms and Crown Colonies, before their visits in 1975 (for CHOGM), 1983, 1994, and 2002, for her Golden Jubilee.

Royal Visits to Jamaica | Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Jamaica