Governor Sir David Steel set to bid Gibraltar farewell with ceremonial departure

The Governor, Vice Admiral Sir David Steel, will depart Gibraltar on Thursday at the end of his four-year tenure as Governor and Commander-in-Chief.

A ceremonial departure will take place at 11am when the Governor will exit the Convent where two Guards of Honour provided by members of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment and essential services personnel will be on parade.

In recognition of his naval career, Royal Navy personnel will provide the Convent Guard on the day.

After being accorded a Royal Salute, the Governor will inspect the parade and, after a second Royal Salute, the Governor will hand over The Keys to the Port Sergeant who will then march them into the Convent.

Sir David will then proceed to walk up Main Street, stopping outside the Courts to bid farewell to the Chief Justice, Anthony Dudley, and then outside the Cathedral to bid farewell to the religious leaders.

In the Lobby of Parliament, the Governor will bid farewell to Speaker of the House Karen Ramagge and the Members of Parliament before proceeding to City Hall to bid farewell to the Mayor, Carmen Gomez.

Sir David will then drop into the Royal Gibraltar Regiment Association premises in Irish Town to say farewell to the members before driving to the Naval base to bid farewell to MoD personnel.

The Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, will then escort Sir David airside at the International Gibraltar Airport before a final farewell at the foot of the aircraft.

A 17-gun Salute will be fired by Thomson’s Battery, the Royal Gibraltar Regiment, as Sir David steps onto the aircraft.

Sir David will then depart Gibraltar at 3.10pm on the British Airways flight to Heathrow.