George Mathias
THE Earl of Wessex Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, Countess of Wessex are to visit Gibraltar in June to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee year.
It has become somewhat of a tradition for the Rock to welcome the couple in a Jubilee year as they last visited in 2012 as part of Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
The government of Gibraltar confirmed that the Royal visit would take place on June 7-9.
“Her Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar is delighted to welcome the announcement from Buckingham Palace in London and The Convent in Gibraltar that Their Royal Highnesses, The Earl and Countess of Wessex will be visiting Gibraltar in June of this year,” said a statement.
Photo: Wikipedia
The Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said: “The visit of the Earl and Countess will be a highlight for us in Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee year and will be an opportunity for the People of Gibraltar to once again demonstrate our deep and unwavering affection for our Sovereign and the Royal Family as the embodiment of the British sovereignty of Gibraltar.
“I know that all of Gibraltar will look forward to the visit and that we will welcome the Earl and Countess with open arms, as only Gibraltar and the Gibraltarians know how,” he added.
The last outing the pair made to Gibraltar was somewhat controversial, with the Spanish authorities describing the visit as ‘unfortunate’ as it coincided with tensions over fishing waters.
It was for this very reason that Queen Sofia of Spain declined to attend an event in the UK to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee.
The latest visit is also likely to stir some controversy, with Brexit teething problems continuing to create friction between the UK and Spain.
While the Wessexes last visited ten years ago, the Queen herself has not set foot on the Rock since 1954 when she toured with Prince Philip with their children Prince Charles and Princess Anne.
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