User:Peter Ormond/Royal tours of Barbados



Royal tours of Barbados by the Barbadian Royal family.

1975 https://barbadosislandlife.com/historic/queen-elizabeth-loved-the-people-of-barbados/

1950s


Mary PR 1953



Margo 1955

1960s
The Queen's cousin, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, represented her at the independence celebrations. On Independence Day, He opened the second session of the first parliament, on behalf of the Queen.

In February 1966, the Queen, along with her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, toured Barbados, opening Barclays Park, in Saint Andrew, amongst other events.

1970s
During her 1975 visit, the Queen knighted Barbadian cricketer Garfield Sobers in an open-air investiture before a crowd of 50,000 in Bridgetown.

The Queen returned for her Silver Jubilee in 1977, after addressing the new session of parliament, she departed on the Concorde, which was the Queen's first supersonic flight.

1980s
Queen Duke 1985

She also was in Barbados in 1989, to mark the 350th anniversary of the establishment of the Barbados parliament, where she received addresses from both houses. In her speech, the Queen said, "Any nation which can boast of the continuous existence of a Parliament for 350 years has sure grounds for pride".

1990s
Philip March 1998, May 1999

Richard Oct 1999

2000s
Andy Jan 2000

Edward May 2003, Oct 2003

Philip Oct 2003

Edward Feb 2004

Andy Feb 2004

Edward Nov 2004, Feb 2007, Feb 2009

2010s
In 2010, Prince Harry visited Barbados to launch the first Sentebale Polo Cup, and to raise awareness and funding for Sentebale's work.

Ed Soph March 2011

Anne June 2011

To mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012, the country hosted the Queen's youngest son and his wife, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, between 23 and 24 February 2012. The tour began with the Earl and Countess arriving, aboard RFA Fort Rosalie, at the Deep Water Harbour of Bridgetown, where Barbadian military personnel were given inspection. To a joint sitting of the Parliament of Barbados, the Earl read a written message from the Queen, in which the monarch stated she has taken note of the level of development Barbados had achieved during its 45 years of independence and called the country a model small state for others around the world. Parliamentary officials responded with thanks to the Queen for her service to the country and Barbadians and invited her to the island to celebrate the 375th anniversary of the establishment of the Barbadian parliament in 2014. The visiting royal couple opened an exhibit at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, and an official state dinner and reception was held at Government House in the evening.

The following day, the Countess visited the Albert C. Graham Children's Development Centre at Ladymeade Gardens, while the Earl presented eight Duke of Edinburgh's Gold Awards to Barbadian youth at a dedication ceremony. Directly following, the couple travelled together to a ceremony to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee, where a plaque was unveiled at the Kensington Oval cricket stadium. Other events included the Earl and Countess lunching with Prime Minister Freundel Stuart at his residence, Ilaro Court, and touring several areas of Bridgetown that were added to UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites in 2011.

Ed Soph Feb 2014

The Princess Royal visited in 2015. In 2016, Prince Harry visited Barbados on behalf of the Queen, for Barbados' 50th anniversary of independence celebrations. The Queen shared person congratulations to the people and government of Barbados on reaching 50 years of political independence and touched on her family's fondness of Barbados and witnessing development of nation over that time. In her message, the Queen praised Barbadians and said they "have continued to flourish and grow into a strong and confident nation. The extraordinary talents of your people, from the cricket field to the music industry have been admired and recognised throughout the world".

Charles Camilla March 2019

Charles Nov 2021