This week, the Channel Islands received royal visits from King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Their Majesties’ programme in Guernsey included elements that showcased our Islands’ unique local culture and heritage as well as our commitment to supporting biodiversity, sustainability and combatting climate change.
If you would like to follow in Royal footsteps, then here are some of the highlights of the day, with links and information for you to create your own itinerary.
Meet the Royal Golden Guernsey Goats
The famous Golden Guernsey Goat has existed on our Islands for hundreds of years. This week, they were granted a Royal title during the visit from King Charles and Queen Camilla. They will be formally known henceforth as the Royal Golden Guernsey Goat.
The Goat Farm in St Peters is one of the best places to visit to meet the Golden Guernsey Goats. You can watch them play and even feed the goats! There is also a farm shop with a variety of homemade products, such as cheese, milk & soap.
Don’t Miss The Noon Day Gun
There was a special 21-gun salute at Castle Cornet on Tuesday for Their Majesties, however you can view the traditional noon day gun fire every day at 12pm at the castle. Make time to explore the rest of the castle too. It has multiple museums as well as a cafe and they host a variety of events such as live plays and music nights where you can bring a picnic and enjoy an open air show. Keep an eye on our Events page for more.
Sample Our Local Food & Drink
We’re particularly proud of our homegrown produce and products. One of the beauties of island life is the many local ingredients on offer from both land and sea. We have a great selection of dedicated growers and producers who supply many of our local restaurants, resulting in a wonderful offering of fresh fruit and veg, meat, dairy and seafood wherever you go.
The King was particularly taken with the story of Guernsey Seaweed, as well the offerings from The Little Big Brewing Co, whereas the Queen enjoyed learning about our local ice cream from the Guernsey Dairy and Le Hechet Farm. You can follow the Guernsey Dairy Ice Cream Route to find all the local kiosks serving Guernsey ice cream.
Their Majesties’ also enjoyed meeting Herm & Guernsey Oysters who hatch, grow and serve oysters in less than a 10 mile radius, Rocquettes Cider a family farm that offers tours of their orchard with tastings and Le Tricoteur Guernsey jumpers, a classic fisherman's sweater, most often produced in a sailing-inspired navy colour. Learn about the history of the Guernsey.
Take a Walk Along The Seafront
Follow our new Occupation trail to learn more about our history or simply enjoy the scenery along the harbour front with views out over the Islands.
Visit Hauteville House
During the afternoon of the visit, Queen Camilla was treated to a personal tour of Hauteville House, author Victor Hugo’s house and work of art in Guernsey. Built on the heights of Saint Peter Port, Hauteville House was Hugo's residence during his exile in Guernsey and the only property of the writer on the island. Many masterpieces were written here – Les Misérables, Toilers of the Sea, The Man Who Laughs, The Legend of the Ages, Le Théâtre en Liberté, and so on. The house is a work of art by its layout and décor, designed by Victor Hugo himself. It is often referred to as an insight into his complex creative mind.
Get To Know The Smaller Islands
Representatives from Alderney and Sark both came over to meet the King and Queen and tell stories of their Islands. King Charles III & Queen Camilla may have not had time to go island hopping on this visit, but we certainly would recommend that you make time in your itinerary to visit each unique island.
How is Guernsey connected to the Crown?
The Bailiwick's connection with the Crown stretches back for centuries. However, it does not stem from the monarch's English and British roles. It is from their role as successor to the Dukes of Normandy that the Channel Islands owe their allegiance to British monarchs. The Channel Islands are the only part of the former Duchy of Normandy which remains loyal to the British Crown. This is why Islanders would toast 'Le Roi/La Reine, Notre Duc' which translates as 'The King/Queen, our Duke'. The Channel Islands formally became part of the Duchy of Normandy in 933, then Normandy and England came under a common ruler from 1066 after the victory of William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings.
Although King John lost continental Normandy in 1204, the Channel Islands stayed loyal to the English Crown. The relationship between the Channel Islands and the monarchy was formalised in 1259 when the Treaty of Paris was agreed between Henry III of England and Louis IX of France. Although Henry III abandoned his right to the title "Duke of Normandy", his rights to the islands were confirmed and he still ruled the Islands in that capacity, continuing to observe their established laws, liberties and customs. These local rights were later confirmed in a series of Charters by successive monarchs and are the origins of the Bailiwick's status as a Crown Dependency.
