Her Majesty Queen Camilla visited Douglas City Hall on Wednesday to officially confer city status upon the island’s capital.
Douglas was named a city as part of the celebrations for the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee in May 2022, one of eight communities in the British Isles to receive the honour.
A number of roads, including Prospect Hill, Ridgeway Street and Lord Street, were all closed from 6am onwards for the first royal visit since 2021.
Representing King Charles, who recently announced that he would be stepping-back from public duties after being fiagnosed with cancer, Camilla was greeted at Ronaldsway Airport by Lieutenant Governor Sir John Lorimer and Lady Lorimer, Chief Constable Russ Foster and Captain of the Parish of Malew Peter Quayle. Her Majesty then arrived at Douglas City Hall 12 minutes ahead of schedule at 12:33pm, greeted by numerous and high-spirited onlookers who cheered while waving the Union Jack and Manx flags.
Greeted at the front of Douglas City Hall by the Mayor of Douglas Natalie Byron-Teare and Council Leader Claire Wells, Camilla made her way inside and up the stairs to the council chambers, chatting to guests as she passed.
Following a reading of the Lord’s prayer, Camilla conveyed a special message from King Charles.
She said: ‘My husband is so sorry that he cannot be with us today on this extremely special occasion, but he has sent me here armed with a copy of his speech to read out on his behalf.
‘Just before I begin, I would like to thank you all for your warm welcome to the Isle of Man – with particular thanks to the little people, whom I was careful to greet as we drove past the Fairy Bridge.’
In the King’s speech, he wrote: ‘I hope that Manannan packed his cloak away to enable my dear wife to land at Ronaldsway from the adjacent isle this afternoon!
‘The granting of your city status is particularly special to me, as your Letters Patent are the only ones in existence that hold both my signature and that of my late mother.’ Following Camilla’s speech, Douglas Mayor Ms Byron-Teare thanked her for her visit and confirmed that March 20 will be ‘celebrated every year as the day Douglas gained its city status’.
After the signing of the letters, Camilla stepped outside to unveil a plaque which read ‘City Hall - Unveiled by Her Majesty Queen Camilla on 20th March 2024’.
Her Majesty then took time to speak to members of the crowds of people who had lined the streets to catch a glimpse of her, and received a number of gifts such as toy Manx trains, flowers and Loaghtan wool for knitting. Camilla then departed Ridgeway Street for the second leg of her trip to the island, a visit to Government House.
