Royal visits to Kyleakin

"There were two royal visits to Kyleakin during the fifties and sixties. In 1956, our own Queen Elizabeth 11 and the Duke of Edinburgh landed at Kyleakin pier at the start of their tour of Skye. King Olaf of Norway also visited Kyleakin in 1962.

"More recently, in 1985, there was a surprise royal visit to the island. My mother was washing dishes in our White Heather Hotel when the bell rang. As the staff were off duty at the time, she made her way to reception where she was met by a man from the London police.

"He said he had a king and queen in the car and asked if they could use our hotel dining room for their picnic. The surprise visitors were King Hussein of Jordan and his wife Queen Noor. They were accompanied by bodyguards including special branch officers. Two of them carried in the picnic basket and the Queen ordered tea and coffee herself at reception. They were lovely people, very friendly and chatty and in no hurry to leave.

"The irony of the story is that at the exact time of this happening, I was with my wife admiring King Hussein in Madame Tussauds London!"

As told by Ian Sikorski, resident of Kyleakin

More information on visiting the area can be found here.