Chichester gets ready to welcome The Queen

Large crowds are expected to greet the arrival of Her Majesty The Queen tomorrow at Chichester Festival Theatre.
Her Majesty The QueenHer Majesty The Queen
Her Majesty The Queen

The royal occasion will be the first time our monarch has visited the city in 27 years.

Executive director of Chichester Festival Theatre, Rachel Tackley, said the theatre was ‘delighted and honoured’ to host the second part of Her Majesty’s visit after she meets dog trainers at Canine Partners near Midhurst.

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She said: “It’s 53 years since The Queen last came to our theatre; so it feels like the ‘crowning glory’ to welcome Her Majesty at the end of Daniel’s and my first season here.

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Woods/REX/Shutterstock (9186630a)
Queen Elizabeth II wearing a long evening gown and a white fur stole, and accompanied by her husband Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, inspects ambulance cadets at the new Chichester Festival Theatre, Chichester, Sussex, on July 31, 1962, when she attended a charity performance of Chekhov's Uncle Vanya. On the left is the Duke of Norfolk and the Duchess. The performance of Uncle Vanya, which starred director Sir Laurence Olivier, was in aid of the St John Ambulance Brigade and British Red Cross Society.
'Uncle Vanya' at the Chichester Festival Theatre, UK - 31 Jul 1962Mandatory Credit: Photo by Woods/REX/Shutterstock (9186630a)
Queen Elizabeth II wearing a long evening gown and a white fur stole, and accompanied by her husband Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, inspects ambulance cadets at the new Chichester Festival Theatre, Chichester, Sussex, on July 31, 1962, when she attended a charity performance of Chekhov's Uncle Vanya. On the left is the Duke of Norfolk and the Duchess. The performance of Uncle Vanya, which starred director Sir Laurence Olivier, was in aid of the St John Ambulance Brigade and British Red Cross Society.
'Uncle Vanya' at the Chichester Festival Theatre, UK - 31 Jul 1962
Mandatory Credit: Photo by Woods/REX/Shutterstock (9186630a) Queen Elizabeth II wearing a long evening gown and a white fur stole, and accompanied by her husband Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, inspects ambulance cadets at the new Chichester Festival Theatre, Chichester, Sussex, on July 31, 1962, when she attended a charity performance of Chekhov's Uncle Vanya. On the left is the Duke of Norfolk and the Duchess. The performance of Uncle Vanya, which starred director Sir Laurence Olivier, was in aid of the St John Ambulance Brigade and British Red Cross Society. 'Uncle Vanya' at the Chichester Festival Theatre, UK - 31 Jul 1962

“Our brilliant Youth Theatre will be performing for Her Majesty, alongside Omid Djalili and other members of the Fiddler on the Roof company, and we are all very excited.”

After the performance, The Queen will be entertained to lunch in the theatre restaurant, with guests including Dame Patricia Routledge.

Lionel Barnard, chairman of West Sussex County Council, said The Queen last visited Chichester in 1990 when she came to the Military Police Training Centre and last came to West Sussex in 2007.

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Mayor of Chichester Peter Evans, who is also in the welcoming party, said it would be an honour to represent the people of Chichester and he was sure it would be an event which everyone would enjoy.

The best way to follow all the action will be on our websites: www.chichester.co.uk; www.bognor.co.uk; www.midhurstandpetworth.co.uk

There you will find up-to-the-minute videos, pictures and stories of Her Majesty’s visit, and our reporters will also be documenting reaction from people in the crowds who have come to witness this once-in-a-generation event.

And if you have come to witness the visit, we want you to share your pictures and stories with us.

You can email pictures to news@chiobserver or simply visit any of the Observer Facebook pages, which will be filled with updates throughout the day.