East Cowes Castle days later in his London home, by cutting his own throat. In 1819, just six months before his coronation as King George IV, the Prince Regent visited Nash again at East Cowes Castle, whilst touring on the Royal Yacht. In 1825, the Duke and the Duchess of Cambridge stayed at East Cowes Castle. In August 1830, the Dauphiness and Duchess De Berri, accompanying the expatriated King of France, visited East Cowes Castle. The king had abdicated on 2 August and left France for England on 16 August, when it seemed that their safety was in jeopardy from angry mobs of
Cowes local businesses. The town was reported to be doing well in 2009, despite the economic downturn. Cowes has a Non-League football club Cowes Sports F.C., which plays at Westwood Park. Cowes is a gateway town for the Isle of Wight. Travellers to Southampton are served by a high speed catamaran passenger ferry from Cowes known as the Red Jet. Southern Vectis' route 1 is the main bus service in Cowes. Single decker buses branded Red1 serve the Red Jet terminal, whilst route 1 double deckers serve the M&S Foodhall at Carvel Lane (the site of the former Cowes railway station).