‘Guernsey was at its best’ - Lt-Governor hails royal visit success
Islanders came out in force to meet the King and Queen and made a truly memorable day for the royal couple, Guernsey’s Lt-Governor has said.
Lt General Richard Cripwell, as the sovereign’s representative in the Bailiwick, met the royal couple off the helicopter in the morning and accompanied them throughout the day, which included activities on the Town seafront and at Les Cotils.
While the island was bathed in glorious weather, Lt-General Cripwell said it was the people who made the day so special.
‘It was such a lovely day,’ he said.
‘They certainly seemed to me to be hugely appreciative of the turn-out. The people of Guernsey, as well as Alderney and Sark, were there in such numbers.’
He said Their Majesties seemed to like meeting people.
‘They went out of their way to engage at every chance they had,’ he said.
Lt-General Cripwell last saw the King on the eve of his coronation, when he pledged to try and visit the Bailiwick soon.
He said yesterday’s visit had a lot of special moments, both planned and unplanned. He highlighted the honouring of the Royal Golden Guernsey Goat with its new prefix as being a lovely occasion.
But he also said there were special intimate moments, such as a lady gifting the Queen with a ‘happy birthday’ bracelet, which she immediately put on. Today is the Queen’s 77th birthday.
‘There will be so many special moments for so many people,’ he said.
‘I think Guernsey was at its best today,’ he said.
‘The way in which people turned out in their thousands, and the island looked beautiful.’
