Remembering the Queen's visits to Alderney

The Queen spent two hours in Alderney during a fleeting visit in 1978. Credit: ITV Channel TV

The Queen first visited Alderney in 1949 when she was still Princess Elizabeth, and the Channel Islands were still recovering from the Occupation.

On that trip the Queen acknowledged what the island had been through, she said: "Your lot, like that of the other Channel Islands has been very hard throughout the war."

Francis Simonet was a young boy at the time, and first saw her arrive on the barge at the harbour.

Francis watched the captain of the barge take the salute from Prince Phillip Credit: ITV Channel TV

He says: I'm afraid, we got a bit over excited and ran to the side of the ship and waved frantically at Princess Elizabeth and the Royal party.

"Princess Elizabeth also broke ranks, came to the side of the launch and waved furiously back. It gave two young boys a very, very fond memory.

"And looking back it epitomises the generosity of spirit that has been evident throughout the Queen's reign."

The Queen visited in 1978 and again in 1989 when the Royal Barge was used to take the Royal couple into harbour.

Crowds lined the streets to see them, including Hilary Bentley's parents who ensured they were spotted by the Queen thanks to their dogs.

Hilary's father figured out that the Queen would slow down as she rounded a corner, so that's where the family stood to greet her. Credit: ITV Channel TV

She said: "They had a corgi and their friends had a corgi and they took their position at the place where her Majesty had to slow down slightly. And she did slow down slightly and stopped to talk to, mainly the corgis, I think"

Ilona Soana-Sands was part of the organising committee for the 2001 Royal Visit to the island.

She scheduled the programme of events and made sure they were sticking to protocol. Credit: ITV Channel TV

She said: "We had to rent a car or have a car available for her because we couldn't crane a royal car on and off the boat in time.

"We found two suitable owners on the island of brand new cars with large windows so the Renault Scenic was the ideal model then.

"And the instructions were to make sure the colour of the car did not clash with her Majesty's outfit.

"As she landed I was told 'apple green' that was the codeword, which immediately meant the olive green Renault had to go off and was now disqualified from the Royal tour."