Royal visit to Dedham

The King and Queen will visit Dedham in Colchester on 5 February 2026. 

Their Majesties will visit the Sun Inn, where they will meet local community heroes and businesses who have supported the community of Dedham. Local heroes include Next Chapter, a local domestic abuse charity; Dedham Art Society, a well-established art group that support East Anglia Children’s Hospice and partner with Munnings Museum; and the Dedham Vale Vineyard, which is set on forty acres of vines, woods and pastures on the edge of Dedham Vale. 

They will then meet members of the local community and pupils of a nearby school as they walk down the High Street to Essex Rose Teahouse to enjoy a tea party taking place. 

Here’s everything you need to know about the visit

Parking restrictions and road closures

On Wednesday 4 February, Mill Pond and Mill Lane car parks will close to new entries from 2pm. Vehicles already parked before 2pm will be able to exit the car parks throughout the afternoon.  

From 7pm, parking will not be permitted on the following roads in Dedham, to prepare for the Royal visit:   

• High Street, Royal Square and Brook Street, Dedham (from Stratford Road through to Manningtree Road) 

• Mill Lane, from the High Street to Mill Lane Car Park 

• Southfields Road 

Parking Permit holders will be contacted with alternative parking arrangements. Please note that any vehicles that have been left on these roads once the parking restrictions come into force will be moved. This applies to business and resident permit holders as well as all other vehicles. 

On Thursday 5 February both Mill Pond and Mill Lane car park will remain closed to new entries, and some roads in the centre of Dedham will be closed between 8am-3pm, as follows: 

• High Street, Royal Square and Brook Street, Dedham (from Stratford Road through to Manningtree Road and Crown Street). 

• Mill Lane, from the High Street to Mill Lane Car Park 

• Southfields Road 

Travel information

For information on bus travel, we advise you visit bus operators’ websites.   

Buses will be running as normal, but diversions may be in place due to the road closures.  

Public access to Mill Lane and Mill Pond car parks will be closed from 2pm on Wednesday 4 February, until 3pm on Thursday 5 February. As there will be no designated parking available anywhere in the Dedham area, visitors are advised not to travel to Dedham by car on this day. 

A limited shuttle bus service will operate from the North Colchester Park and Ride site, located just off the A12. It will run on a first come, first served basis. Minibuses will run from 8.30am to 10.30am from Colchester to Dedham, and from 12.45pm to 3.15pm from Dedham back to Colchester. The bus service will be free, but motorists will need to pay £3 for parking in the usual way at the Park and Ride site. Park and Ride staff will direct passengers to queues for the correct minibus.  

The drop off point in Dedham will be the Dedham High Street/Stratford Road junction. Passengers will need to make their way on foot along the High Street in to Dedham. 

Travel back from Dedham: The first return shuttle will depart Dedham to Colchester North Park and Ride at 12:45pm and will run approximately every half hour, with the last bus leaving at 3:15pm.  

As demand is difficult to predict and space on the Park and Ride buses will be limited, please ensure you arrive back at the Dedham High Street/Stratford Road junction in good time to catch one of the return buses. We strongly advise against relying on the final bus, as seats cannot be guaranteed.  

Timetable: All timings are approximate and may vary depending on demand and traffic conditions. 

Park and Ride departure	08:30	09:00	09:30	10:00	10:30
Dedham arrival	08:45	09:15	09:45	10:15	10:45

Dedham departure	12.45	13:15	14:15	14:45	15:15
Park and ride arrival	13:00	13:30	14:30	15:00	15:30

Will I be able to watch?

Spectators are welcome along Dedham High Street; however, due to road closures and the lack of parking, the event is primarily intended for local residents. 

The centre of Dedham is predicted to be very busy, and we want everyone to be able to enjoy the event. If you do decide to travel to Dedham, please do so early and use sustainable methods of transport as there will be no parking available.  

There will be a high level of police in the city centre on the day. This is for everyone’s safety and nothing to be alarmed about.  

When was the last Royal visit to Colchester? 

King Charles III and the Queen last visited Colchester on Tuesday, 7 March 2023, as part of the Year of Celebration to mark Colchester’s first year of modern city status. 

During the visit Their Majesties visited Colchester Castle and were greeted by local charities, volunteers, refugees and schoolchildren visiting the Castle Museum. Inside the Castle, students from Market Field College showed them historical objects, and Their Majesties met community and conservation groups during a reception celebrating Colchester’s modern city status, where they viewed the Letters Patent and signed the visitor book. They also met with Colchester Zoo representatives, who spoke about their conservation work as The King and Queen Consort unveiled the name of the zoo’s new white rhino calf, Dara. 

After greeting crowds along Colchester High Street, Their Majesties visited Colchester Library to take afternoon tea with Age UK volunteers and service users and learn about the library’s impact in the community through the Essex Year of Reading. Their Majesties were joined in the library’s Literacy Corner by broadcaster and children’s author Dermot O’Leary, and author Frank Cottrell-Boyce, who are both local to Colchester.   

For information on the day of the royal visit, follow: 

• @EnjoyColchester on Facebook 

• @YourColchester on X 

• @ColchesterCityCouncil on Instagram