Island lights up to mark Queen’s Platinum Jubilee
WHILE there may be 2.4 billion people of the Commonwealth around the world celebrating the Platinum Jubilee this weekend, the Channel Islands probably have the oldest link with the Crown of all of them, said the island’s Lt-Governor at yesterday’s Government House garden party.
Each year Government House marks the Queen’s official birthday, but this year it also celebrated the Platinum Jubilee and 70 years of the Queen’s reign.
It was also the first year for Lt-General Richard Cripwell to be hosting the event.
He said he and his wife Louise felt privileged to be in Guernsey for the occasion.
‘This is an extraordinary time – the first time in our nation’s history when we have the Platinum Jubilee of a British monarch.’
They are representing the Bailiwick at the special service in St Paul’s Cathedral in London today, before hosting a community fete in the grounds of Government House tomorrow afternoon and evening.
It was a day of celebration across the parishes and the islands at the start of a four-day weekend.
Several parishes are staging events or exhibitions over the next few days, while St Peter Port yesterday hosted a free family fun day in Cambridge Park.
Vale and St Sampson’s have teamed up for a ‘street party’ at L’Islet today.
The jubilee tradition of beacons came to the fore last night, just as they did for 1977’s Silver Jubilee, with beacons lit in Guernsey at Castle Cornet, Jerbourg, Sausmarez Manor and Rue Maingy.
Full coverage of the Platinum Jubilee so far, pages 4-7
