Duke and Duchess of York (King George VI & Queen Elizabeth) | 1927
On of the first visits by members of the Royal Family, the Duke and Duchess of York (later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth) visited the Fiji Islands during a larger tour of Australia and New Zealand in 1927. They were welcomed at the traditional Veirqaraqaravi Vakavanua ceremony also attended by Ratu E. Seniloli, the grandson of the late King Cakobau. (RW,2018)
Queen Visit | 17th-19th Dec 1953
The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh arrived in Fiji on a two-day visit as part of their six-month Commonwealth Tour on this day in 1953:
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh | 2nd-3rd Feb 1963
Queen Elizabeth II with her husband Prince Philip arrived in Suva harbor on the Royal Britannica (constructed and launched at John Brown & Company shipyard, Clydebank, Scotland on 16 April 1953, serving the royal family for 44 years), the queen was welcomed by an opening ceremony at Albert Park, befitting her position, including the drinking of kava to welcome them to the islands officially. Although a brief visit, they attended to several official duties at the government house, with an open-top car tour through the streets of Suva, allowing her to see and be seen by the new generation of subjects.
Fiji Independence | 9th-15th October 1970
Over 150 hundred years ago the chiefs of Fiji seeded the island to Queen Victoria for the protection and guidance of the Fijian People, for 96 years, Fiji was under British Rule, then on Oct 10th, 1970 came independence, the British government restored independence willing at the request of the government of Fiji following a constitutional conference in London in April 1970,
Prince Charles, came to Fiji as a representative of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II to present official documents which restored independence to Fiji. Independence came at precisely 10 o’clock in the morning on 10th October 1970, precisely 96 years to the day after the cessions of the islands to the British crown on October the 10th 1874.
The historical moment was marked by Princes Charles handing to the first prime minister of Independent Fiji, the documents of Independence. (PDF). Celebrations covering six days saw nothing but harmony, happiness, and rejoicing amongst the nation’s multicultural population of half a million people. Prince Charles toured the full breadth of the nation, from Taveuni, Savusavu, and Nadi, with Lautoka being the last item on his official program. Fiji Independence Order 1970 and Constitution of Fiji
Queen Elizabeth II & Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh | 16th-17th Oct 1973
Prince Charles | 8th-12th Oct 1974
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh | 16-17th Feb 1977
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II with His Royal Highness Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, arrived in Fiji on 17 February 1977, as part of the Silver Jubilee Celebrations of her accession to the British throne (celebrations throughout the UK and Commonwealth were held, with commemorative church services through the following month), the royal couple entered the port of Suva on Royal Britannica, to start their official duties.
In the traditional banquet dinner held in her honour in Suva, the Queen praised Fiji’s development since the last time she visited in 1953:
“Although it is nearly a quarter of a century ago I remember as if it were yesterday the sight of these beautiful islands as we made our first landfall since leaving Panama and sailed into Suva bay,” she said. “The beauty remains as fresh as ever yet the economic, social and political progress has been remarkable and is something of which I am sure you have good reason to be proud”. “Nor has progress been confined within these islands. In the international field, Fiji has won an honoured place in the counsels of the nations.” (The Fiji Times, 1977)
Queen Elizabeth II & Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh | 30th Oct – 1st Nov 1982
Queen Elizabeth II accompanied by her husband, Prince Philip the Duke of Edinburgh, arrived in Fiji for a two and half-day tour, this was the last official stop on their month-long itinerary of island-hopping across the south pacific islands. The couple arrived in the capital of Suva via the yacht Britannia, to a large welcoming ceremony comprising honorable officials and eagerly awaiting Fijians, harbourside.
On Sunday, the Queen traveled by launch to the historic island of Bau, located about 7 nautical miles to the east of Suva City, an island small in size but huge in stature, supporting only three tiny villages and less than 10 acres in size, the island is home to some of the most historical milestones in Fijian history and lays to rest the burial sites of the many chiefs and King Cakobau, the first king of Fiji. The Queen was welcomed to Bau by the Prime Minister at the time the Honorable Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, followed by a traditional welcoming ceremony by the great council of chiefs, both held special significance to the native Fijians, who witnessed the event unfold in respectful silence by thousands of villagers and officials. The official visit ended with a more private investiture (act or formal ceremony of conferring the authority and symbols of a high office) in the Chiefs Meeting House.
In the evening the traditional state banquet took place at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva, with all the dignitaries invited, this would be the final official duty of Prince Philip as he had to leave early on Monday morning for Japan upon the Britannica, The Queen stayed on for the majority of the following day visiting the second largest city Lautoka, where she traveled through the town in an open-top vehicle, with stop-offs at the Civic Center, and Lautoka National Hospital, were she changed vehicle to travel Nadi international airport to travel back to England.
Honorable Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara said ‘It is our hope and desire that our loyalty to the crown shall remain for all time. I assure you of our abiding loyalty and affection, and our deepest respect and devotion to the crown and to you the queen of Fiji.’
Duke of York Visited after Fiji rejoined the Commonwealth | 1998
We were unable to find any real information regarding this trip in the archives, several images of Prince Andrew, with the late former President The Right Honourable Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara at the government house, and the short visit to Beqa island, thou no real written context around the images and the Pacific Tour.
Prince Charles Visit | 10th-11th March 2005
Prince Charles arrived in Fiji on the last leg of his overseas tour in 2005, upon arriving, the prince attended a welcoming ceremony in the home village of Fijian president Ratu Josefa Iloilo where he was presented with a whale’s tooth, symbolizing the important historic link between the two nations, with a private meeting with Prime Minister Laisenia Qaraser shortly afterward.
As this was only a short trip (30 hours in total), he still managed to squeeze in a three-hour tour of a coral reef conservation project at Castaway Island in the Mamanuca Islands, traveling to the island via an open-roofed motor boat. (picture above)
Charles expressed gratitude to the more than 400 government officials, chiefs, and villagers who attended: “I can’t tell you with what joy I have looked forward to coming back to Fiji,” Charles told the gathering, I have been deeply touched and grateful for the wonderful welcome that you have given me on this occasion.”
Queen visited the Sainsbury Centre in the UK | 2017
The Sainsbury Center in Norwich, United Kingdom, held the largest and most comprehensive exhibition ever assembled about Fijian Life, with significant works contributed to the project from the Museum of Archaeology & Anthropology at Cambridge, the Fiji Museum, the British Museum, and the Pitt Rivers Museum. The Queen toured the museum and met with several Fijian students studying in the UK, with an unveiling of a plaque to mark her visit. Discover more…
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex | 23rd-25th Oct 2018
Full Itinerary Kensington Palace
The Prince of Wales on 50 years of Fiji’s Independence | 2020
The Right Honourable Rear Admiral Frank Bainimarama CF (MIL), OStJ, MSD, MP, the prime minister of Fiji (between 5 January 2007 – 24 December 2022), formally invited the Royal Highness Prince Charles as the chief guest for Fiji’s 50th Independence day celebrations, whilst speaking at a Fijian Diaspora in the United Arab Emirates, in the month of January 2020.
Bainimarama said ‘it would be fitting for Prince Charles to attend since he handed Fiji the instruments of Independence on October 10th 1970, I’ve come out to invite His Royal Highness Prince Charles to come to be our chief guest. He was the one to give us the Constitution in 1970. Some may not have been born then. It will be a wonderful opportunity if he comes back to be our chief guest.’
Unfortunately, due to the Covid 19 Pandemic, the Prince of Wales had to send “special blessings and congratulations” to President Konrote, Prime Minister Bainimarama, and the people of the Republic of Fiji via video message. (Main Video).