HM The Queen visits Cowes in 2012

When the Palace announced Her Majesty The Queen's Royal Jubilee engagements it was a great honour to see that the Isle of Wight was to be included and specifically Cowes. The visit will take place on Wednesday 25th July 2012 and be part of a visit to the South East of England together with HRH The Duke of Edinburgh and also include the New Forest and Hampshire.

Osborne House is located in East Cowes and was once the home to Queen Victoria, the UK's longest reigning monarch at 63 years and 7 months and who celebrated her Diamond Jubilee in 1897. "It is impossible to imagine a prettier spot" - such were the words of Queen Victoria after her first visit to Osborne House on the Isle of Wight and it became the royal seaside palace where Queen Victoria lived with her beloved Prince Albert and their nine children. Osborne House is now one of the Isle of Wight's most visited attractions, managed by English Heritage and it is very likely that a visit to Osborne would be part of the official itinerary.

Lord Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight, Maj Gen Martin White, said: "I am delighted the Isle of Wight has been chosen to form part of Her Majesty’s celebratory tour of the country and look forward to welcoming the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh to Cowes where they will carry out a number of engagements in the town."

Although the Queen last visited the Isle of Wight in 2004, Cowes is no stranger to the Royal Family. Last year HRH The Princess Royal visited Cowes Week and started the centenary race for XOD class with her daughter Zara Phillips also took part in the Artemis Challenge, a 50-mile (80km) race around the Island.




It was in fact The Queen's Silver Jubilee in 1977 that prompted the painting of the world's largest Union Jack and one of the most iconic landmarks of Cowes. The huge doors of the Columbine Shed at Venture Quays, East Cowes greeting visitors to Cowes was kept by popular opinion. Formerly the impressive building housed the Rowe Factory, making hovercrafts and flying boats, Venture Quays is now home to SouthBoats Ltd.