Royals' Jersey visit costs government almost £500k

The Bailiff said the cost of the visit was not uncommon for an event of such scale

King Charles III and Queen Camilla's visit to Jersey in July cost the island's government almost £500,000, according to newly-released figures.

The figures from the Bailiff’s Chambers broke down the costs into categories, including infrastructure, catering and transport.

The total amount spent on the visit was £485,000, with the highest cost of £134,515 being spent on contractors, including event and site coordination, crowd and safety consultation and first aid.

The Bailiff said the cost of the visit was not uncommon for an event of such scale.

An additional £80,000 was spent on security, entertainment, safety training and logistics for the event.

The Royal visit included entertainment and a public exposition showcasing some of Jersey’s agricultural, maritime and environmental industries.

An estimated 15,000 people were in St Helier during the visit and 43,000 were watching the livestream of the events online, the Bailiff’s Chambers said.

The Bailiff, Timothy Le Cocq, said the visit, the first in 19 years, was a "momentous occasion".

He said: "The costs were, of course, significant. However, this figure encompasses planning, logistics and the safe delivery of an event for both Their Majesties and the thousands of islands who joined them in St Helier on 15 July.

"I believe that the costs associated with the visit are what is expected when delivering an event of this nature and scale.

"The island as a community came together for a rare and joyful occasion and I believe this visit was a very positive experience."