BVI Celebrates The Queen’s Jubilee
Queen Elizabeth II is celebrating her 70th Jubilee, a milestone for the monarch who is the Head of State” for the Virgin Islands. The Monarch visited the BVI during two royal visits accompanied by her late husband, Prince Phillip; the first in 1966 and the second in 1977. Here in the British Virgin Islands, the Queen’s Jubilee was marked by a public holiday on Friday, June 6th. A celebration to mark the event was held in Road Town’s Queen Elizabeth II Park, which included a parade to the park from the Sir Olva George’s Plaza, remarks by Virgin Islands Governor John Rankin, and a lighting of a memorial beacon.
The Queen has made two Trips to the British Virgin Islands
When Queen Elizabeth came to the BVI on her first state visit to the Virgin Islands in 1966, the British Virgin Islands were a largely agricultural island of subsistence farmers and fishermen. The island was on the cusp of development, and its tourism and sailing industries were still nascent. With few cars, most roads unpaved, and electricity hooked up to Road Town but few other communities, the BVI was a different world than todlay’s country with its vibrant sailing, tourism and financial services industries.
The Queen’s and Prince’s first visit was marked by a visit to the West End Ferry terminal; a plaque was later erected commemorating her visit there. She also opened the original one-lane bridge linking Tortola and Beef Island to great fanfare. Named the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge in her honor, the bridge opening was a turning point in the Territory’s development. Prior to the bridge, passengers traveling to the airport, located on Beef Island, had to clamber aboard a primitive rope towed barge – often sharing space with chickens, goats and other cargo.
The Queen and Prince Phillip returned in 1977, aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia. By then, the BVI had seen rapid development. The coast road to West End, carved from rocky cliffs, had been paved, and electricity now reached all of Tortola. A vast section of Road Harbour had been filled in to create Wickhams Cay, greatly expanding the size of Road Town. Three international banks stood on the Cay along with a new marina.
At the time I was an editor and writer for the Virgin Islander magazine, a monthly publication that covered BVI personalities, businesses, sailing and local events. With my new Nikon camera in hand, I followed the Queen and Prince Phillip on their whirlwind visit, snapping photos and absorbing the enthusiasm of the throngs of well-wishers that lined Road Town’s waterfront road. The Queen and the Prince sat in the back of a privately owned white convertible Lincoln Continental with red leather upholstery. In a country where the roads were ruled by Landrovers, it was the island’s fanciest car. The couple visited the Agricultural station, the market, and Peebles Hospital’s maternity ward where she greeted new mothers and their babies, including a friend of mine who had just given birth to twin girls. Later that evening, she attended a reception of government officials and notable residents at Government House, the home of the Territory’s British Governor and family. The Queen hasn’t returned to the BVI since that visit, but other members of the royal family have, including her children Ann and Andrew.
In 1993 Prince Phillip returned to the BVI for a solo visit. He arrived aboard the Britannia and came ashore in a tender at the Road Town ferry dock wearing a smart navy blue blazer and a straw boater hat. My son, Brandon, then in the third grade was among a contingent of children from various local schools who attended the event. Standing ramrod straight they watched as the Prince was greeted by the islands’ British governor dressed in a crisp white uniform and wearing a ceremonial white helmet topped with a feather. The children were later disappointed to learn that the dapper man in the blazer and straw hat was the prince and not the much more grandly dressed governor. But the adults were impressed by the Prince’s warm and dignified demeanor as he greeted the welcoming committee of government officials, police officers and firemen.
For more information on royal visits to the British Virgin Islands, Old Government House Museum is a good place to start. Built in the 1920s, this was the home of the Territory’s British Governors until 1996 when a newer Governor’s residence was built next door and the original building was turned into a museum. Here you will find signatures of Queen Elizabeth II and her mother, The Queen Mother, in the home’s guest book along with photos of royal visits and other memorabilia.
Learn more about Queen Elizabeth II’s visits to The BVI by visiting
