First Visit 17th April 1646 – 24th June 1646
The Prince of Wales, later King Charles II, was sent by Charles I to the West of England as the head of Royalist troops in April 1646. He was forced to flee to the Scilly Isles when things went badly and then moved on to seek refuge in Jersey knowing that the Island was staunchly faithful to the King. On 17 April 1646 he arrived without fuss or ceremony on board the Black Eagle in company with, amongst others, Hyde, afterwards Lord Clarendon. It was decided that the Prince should stay in Elizabeth Castle, and there he remained during his two-month stay.
The Bailiff and Lieutenant Governor of Jersey, George de Carteret, welcomed the Prince and ensured he was provided with food and every convenience during his stay. He presented the Prince with a gaily painted, two-masted pinnacle with 12 pairs of oars which he had procured from St. Malo. The Prince then spent most of his spare time sailing up and down St Aubin’s Bay, and he would allow no one else to touch the tiller. On 24 April the Prince of Wales knighted Captain George de Carteret and presented him with a patent as Baronet.
In June 1646 Queen Henrietta, Charles’s mother, directed him to leave Jersey and go to France where she was in exile. When the Prince arrived in France, he deeply regretted ever leaving the Isle of Jersey. He left behind his popularity, support, financing, and the loyal zealous team under Carteret.
Jersey proclaimed Charles II as King in Jersey on the 17th February 1649 in the Royal Square in St. Helier, eighteen days after his father’s execution.
2nd Visit – 17th September 1649-13th February 1650
In 1649 Charles again sought refuge in Jersey, arriving amid loud and demonstrative signs of joy on 17 September. On this occasion Charles was accompanied by his brother, the Duke of York, then about sixteen years old. He was well attended, some 300 persons comprising the royal train, among them Lord Lane (Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal), the Earls of Cleveland and Brentford, Lords Wentworth and Hopton, Sir John Berkeley, Lord Percy and many other Royalist nobles.
Throughout this time, aided by the skilful sea services of Carterets’ privateers, Charles maintained considerable correspondence with the mainland and his faithful followers. During a Grand Review on the sands of St Aubin’s Bay on 31 October the King knighted Carteret’s son Philip, later to succeed him as Bailiff. Charles corresponded and often met with his advisors throughout this time, and it was decided that he would eventually leave for Scotland. On 11 February 1650 Charles granted Carteret an island off the coast of Virginia called Smith Island.
A document appeared in a Spink auction on the 12th May 2022, lot 57 with the following description:
1650 (12 January) letter signed “Charles R”, “Given at our Court at Castle Elizabeth in our Island of Jersey”, addressed on integral address panel “To our Right trusty and entirely beloved Cosin William Marquis of Newscastle &c”.
Charles II here confers the award of “ye most noble order of St. George called ye Garter by our most noble & victorious ancestor King Edward ye Third”, “considering that since ye late most horrid Rebellion in that our Kingdom many of ye Companions thereof are dead & that some others contrary to their Honors and Oaths have deserted their Allegiance & are no more worthy to be esteemed Companions of so Noble an Order and finding how necessary it is for our service & the Honor of the said order to elect others in ye places vacant who for thie Nobility Courage & fidelity may be fit to be admitted thereunto, wherefore … with ye great & extraordinary services performed by you against ye rebells in ye conditions of Lieutenant Generall of ye North parts of our Kingdom of England under our late most Dear & Royall Father King Charles of his blessed & glorious memory”, continuing then to describe the dress permitted under such award.
The reverse bearing an as near as possible intact ‘fan’ seal surrounding wafer seal, the former believed to be unique to the early royal court in Jersey while awaiting supplies from London. Staining in some areas and minor tears along edges as to be expected.
An exceptionally important document being among the earliest known letters in the Kings reign, signed under Cromwell’s Protectorate. King Charles was proclaimed King in Jersey on the 17th February 1649 in the Royal Square in St. Hellier, eighteen days after his father’s execution.
The King then resided in Jersey from 17th September 1649 until 13th February 1650. This document then represents a major piece of Channel Islands, Civil War and Royal history. Photo
A lasting memorial to Charles II’s time in Jersey came on 28th November 1663 when, in gratitude for his happy experiences in the Island, the King presented the Bailiff with a magnificent mace which to this day is carried before the Bailiff at the sittings of the Royal Court and meetings of the States Assembly where it is placed upright in front of the Bailiff’s desk.
This document, in the Alan Moorcroft collection, records confirmation that the mace granted by Charles II had been delivered to the Bailiff of Jersey by Benjamin Dumaresq. It is believed that this document was sent back to England to confirm receipt of the mace.
The mace is depicted on the Jersey 5d 1969-70 definitive, 4½p 1970-1974 definitive (not shown as identical), the 1983 11p Europa and the 2013 Jersey 350th Anniversary of the £1 stamp issues.
