Guernsey Army officer to be King's aide for visit

Capt Amy Challinor will be King Charles' Aide De Camp in Guernsey during the royal visit

An Army officer who grew up in Guernsey will assist King Charles III with his formal ceremonies during the King and Queen's visit on Tuesday.

Capt Amy Challinor, who attended the Guernsey Grammar School, will be the King's Aide De Camp (ADC) during the visit.

She will assist the King during a special outdoor sitting of the States of Guernsey as well as the Paying of Homage - a ceremony which dates back to Norman times.

Capt Challinor said the role was an "absolute honour" and she was "very much looking forward to the visit".

The Paying of Homage ceremony dates back to Norman times and was introduced to Britain after the invasion of 1066

Capt Challinor, whose family have lived in Guernsey and Alderney for more than 50 years, was invited to help with the royal visit by Guernsey's Lieutenant-Governor Lt Gen Richard Cripwell, who served with her when working for NATO.

She studied at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, which was founded by Guernsey man Maj Gen John Gaspard Le Marchant.

The special outdoor States sitting will be held on the seafront in St Peter Port with the public able to observe.

It will be followed by the Paying of Homage, a tradition that is observed when a new monarch first visits.

It involved seigneurs and dames, historic title holders of small parcels of land known as "Fiefs", paying homage to the monarch.

Gen Cripwell said he was delighted Capt Challinor would "fulfil an important role in the formal ceremonies that islanders will see performed here on Tuesday".