Preparations are gathering pace across the Isle of Man ahead of King Charles III's first official visit to the island as monarch next week, with maintenance work already under way along parts of his expected route.
Since Buckingham Palace confirmed on Tuesday evening that the King will visit on Tuesday, residents have reported seeing line painters refreshing road markings along Douglas Promenade, while hedges have been trimmed on roads between Ronaldsway Airport and Douglas.
Meanwhile, work has also been taking place at the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway depot, where painters and maintenance crews have been carrying out improvements ahead of the King's visit to mark the tramway's 150th anniversary.
During his visit, King Charles, who is also Lord of Mann, will address a special sitting of Tynwald before meeting well-wishers outside the Legislative Buildings on Bucks Road.
He will then attend a garden party at Government House before visiting the horse tramway, where he is expected to ride aboard the recently restored double-decker No. 18 - the world's oldest tramcar still in regular service.
The visit will mark a significant chapter in the island's history, as it will be the King's first official visit since ascending the throne and the first visit by a reigning king to the Isle of Man since King George VI travelled to the Island in 1945.
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Royal visits have long attracted large crowds across the island.
The first reigning monarch to visit the Isle of Man was actually Queen Victoria in 1847, although she did not set foot on Manx soil, remaining aboard the Royal Yacht in Ramsey Bay while Prince Albert went ashore.
The first reigning British monarch to officially visit was King Edward VII, accompanied by Queen Alexandra, in 1902. They arrived aboard the Royal Yacht Victoria and Albert during a tour of Britain's west coast and were greeted by thousands of people gathered around Douglas Bay.
More than four decades later, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, later the Queen Mother, visited shortly after the end of the Second World War in 1945. Their visit received a warm public welcome, with Queen Elizabeth II later recalling her father's fond memories of the island during one of her own visits.
Queen Elizabeth II first visited the Isle of Man in 1955, arriving aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia for a special sitting of Tynwald in her role as Lord of Mann.
During the visit she toured Castle Rushen, met Peel's famous fishergirls and travelled around the island escorted by TT riders.
She returned in 1979 for the Millennium of Tynwald celebrations, attending the special open-air sitting at St John's to mark the parliament's 1,000th anniversary.
Further visits followed in 1995, when she joined commemorations marking the 50th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, and again in 2003 for her fifth and final official visit, when she attended Tynwald Day, addressed the ancient parliament and signed the visitors' book with a message in Manx.
Although King Charles has visited the Isle of Man several times previously as the Prince of Wales, next week's visit will be his first as monarch.
Announcing the visit, Lieutenant Governor Sir John Lorimer described it as ‘a significant moment in the history of the island and for our community’, while Chief Minister Alfred Cannan said it would be ‘a proud occasion for the Isle of Man’.






