Jubilee Queen to visit county (From Western Telegraph)

Jubilee Queen to visit county

THE QUEEN is to visit Pembrokeshire in November ahead of her Golden Jubilee celebrations.

Although her itinerary has yet to be approved by Buckingham Palace, it is understood that the official opening of the new Pembrokeshire County Council headquarters at County Hall, Haverfordwest, will be a focal point of the royal visit.

Confirmation that both the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will travel to the county is described as a great honour for Pembrokeshire by the authoritys chairman, Councillor Rosemary Hayes.

Her Majestys engagement diary is extremely full, bearing in mind that she is to celebrate her Golden Jubilee next year, she says. Arrangements for the visit are currently being prepared and will be submitted to Buckingham Palace for approval.

The Queen and the Duke last came to Pembrokeshire in 1995 when they were greeted by fanfares of trumpets and a carnival atmosphere. On a sunny June day, the Queen granted city status to St Davids before travelling to Haverfordwest, where she offered words of comfort to the wives of Royal Welch Fusiliers held by Bosnian Serb troops. A reception on board the royal yacht Britannia was the impressive finale to what had been a memorable day.

Her autumn visit will be a boost to what has been a difficult year for a county reliant on tourism.

Foot and mouth has cost the £272 million industry dearly in lost trade, but there are hopes it will recoup some of this business in the next five weeks.