- Stanley named a city as the Falkland Islands becomes the
first ever Overseas Territory to win competition for city status
- A record eight winners selected for city status as part of
June’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations
- First crown dependency to win civic honours as Douglas
becomes the first and only city on the Isle of Man
A record number of locations have won prestigious city status
through a competition, 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.
Eight places won the royal honour this year ahead of the Jubilee
weekend, 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
- Wrexham, Wales
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.
For the first time, the competition was open to applicants from
Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, with the Falklands’
Stanley and Douglas of the Isle of Man among the winners.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 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.
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.
I look forward to the world coming together to show our pride and
gratitude to Queen Elizabeth II on the Jubilee weekend.
The competition for city status has taken place in each of the
last three jubilee years, with previous winners including
Chelmsford, Lisburn and Newport.
Winning city status can provide a boost to local communities and
open up new opportunities for people who live there, as is the
case with previous winners Perth
and Preston
where residents have described how their success contributed to
increased national and global standing, putting them on the
international map as a place to do business.
Research 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.
Culture Secretary said:
City Status is a huge accolade and I congratulate our eight
brilliant winners. This competition showcases the best of Britain
and the Overseas Territories and will act as a lasting legacy of
Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
The winner of the competition for Lord Mayoralty status was also
announced today, with Southampton winning the coveted award. The
city’s newfound status entitles the Mayor to be known as the Lord
Mayor and has been granted to three cities as part of previous
Jubilee Civic Honours competitions: Chester (1992), Exeter (2002)
and Armagh (2012).
Applications were opened last year and almost 40 locations from
across the UK and beyond put forward their bid to become a city.
The applications, which were asked to follow a clear
structure were subsequently evaluated by a panel of experts
and Cabinet Office ministers, before a recommendation was put to
Her Majesty The Queen.
‘Letters Patent’ will now be prepared which will confer each of
the awards formally and will be presented to winners later in the
year.
