The UK is gaining eight new cities in recognition of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, with at least one addition in every nation of the UK.
The Platinum Jubilee civic honours competition was launched as Queen Elizabeth II marks 70 years on the throne this year, following a previous competition celebrating her Diamond Jubilee 10 years ago.
Hopeful applications for the competition had to demonstrate the cultural heritage and royal links of their areas, as well as how their local identity and communities made them worthy of being granted city status.
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In England, Colchester, Doncaster and Milton Keynes have all been granted city status thanks to the competition, along with Dunfermline in Scotland, Bangor in Northern Ireland and Wrexham in Wales.
This year's competition was the first in which Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories were allowed to apply, and as a result Stanley in the Falklands was granted city status in a first for places in an Overseas Territory, while Douglas in the Isle of Man secured the title as a crown dependency.
UK Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries described winning city status as a 'huge accolade', while Sir Bob Russell, High Steward of Colchester, praised the result as 'fantastic news for Colchester'.
According to the Daily Gazette, he continued: "It restores, officially, the title of city which we were granted in AD49 by the Emperor Claudius and it was never taken away. We are now no longer Britain’s oldest recorded town, we’re officially Britain’s oldest city.”
In Wrexham, MP Sarah Atherton said she was 'thrilled' the new city had been recognised for its 'potential, ambition, and contribution to our Union'.
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“Gaining city status will amplify local pride and has the potential to attract inward investment and local infrastructure," she continued, reported Wrexham.com. "I am excited to embrace all the opportunities that will come Wrexham’s way. This is not a time for people to suppress Wrexham, it’s now time to celebrate Wrexham.”
Almost 40 locations sought to be granted city status when applications opened last year, and the winners have brought the number of official cities in mainland UK to 76, including 55 in England, eight in Scotland, seven in Wales and six in Northern Ireland.
Cities are often considered areas with a cathedral, university or generally large population, but there are actually no rules for be granted the status.
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Following the results, the eight new cities will receive a Letters Patent to formalise the title later this year.
Emily Brown