A record number of places have won ‘city status’ as part of Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
The competition to receive civic honours was last run ten years ago to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, and this year for the first time ever, the competition for city status was open to applications from the Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories, with the Falklands’ Stanley and Douglas of the Isle of Man among the winners.
City status winners
Today, Friday May 20, it was confirmed eight places won the royal honour ahead of the Jubilee weekend – celebrating the Queen’s 70th year on the throne – the highest number of awards in a single competition.
Bangor, Northern Ireland, Colchester, England, Doncaster, England, Douglas, Isle of Man, Dunfermline, Scotland, Milton Keynes, England, Stanley, Falkland Islands, and Wrexham, Wales, now all have ‘city status’.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Steve Barclay said: ‘I am delighted that a record number of locations have been awarded the prestigious city status as part of Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Celebrations.
‘What was clear to me during the process of assessing each application was the pride that people felt for their communities, local cultural heritage and the Royal Family.
‘As we celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s colossal contribution to society, I am thrilled that we are able to recognise some of the many places that make Britain great.’
Barcley also commented that Stanley has been named a city, as the Falkland Islands has become the first ever Overseas Territory to win the competition for city status.
‘It is also incredibly reflective of Her Majesty’s global outlook and years of international service that applicants from the Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies have been selected as winners for the first time,’ he continued.
Deserving of the award
The competition for city status has taken place in each of the last three jubilee years, with previous winners including Chelmsford, Lisburn and Newport.
The Platinum Jubilee Civic Honours Competition required applicants to demonstrate how their unique communities and distinct local identity meant they deserved to be awarded city status. They were also required to highlight their royal associations and cultural heritage.
- PALACE PARTY: Queen + Adam Lambert and George Ezra to perform at the Platinum Party at the Palace.
Winning city status can also provide a boost to local communities and open up new opportunities for people who live there.
Research from the Government shows that Perth, which was granted city status in 2012 as part of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, has reaped the full benefits, with the local economy expanding by 12% in the decade it was granted city status.
