Greenwich Council is honoured and delighted that Her Majesty the Queen has bestowed the status of Royal Borough upon Greenwich, to take effect in the year of the Diamond Jubilee in 2012. Councillor Chris Roberts, Leader of the Council, who was in the House of Lords to hear today’s announcement, said,
“The residents, businesses and the millions of visitors to Greenwich will share in our delight at this wonderful news. Greenwich has always taken tremendous pride in the borough’s long history of royal connections with Greenwich, Woolwich and Eltham dating back almost 600 years and which continue so strongly right up to the present day.
“I would like to thank everyone who has backed the borough to receive this honour over many years - especially our many partners in the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site. In particular, I would like to personally thank Lord Sterling, Chairman of Trustees at the National Maritime Museum, who has been instrumental in promoting this honour for Greenwich and in ensuring the borough’s many treasures are promoted and recognised by all.”
The rare honour of Royal Borough status was confirmed today in the House of Lords by Lord Mandelson, President of the Privy Council as part of a series of announcements relating to planned celebrations to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012.
Lord Mandelson said, "This rare honour is to be bestowed in recognition of the historically close links forged between Greenwich and our Royal Family, from the Middle Ages to the present day.” He said the honour also recognised Greenwich's global significance as the home of the Prime Meridian, Greenwich Mean Time and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
As well as confirming Royal Status for Greenwich, Lord Mandelson also announced that there will be an additional Bank Holiday in June 2012, a Diamond Jubilee Medal will be issued, and a UK-wide competition will be opened for towns to bid for city status.
Source: http://www.greenwich.gov.uk
Source: http://www.nmm.ac.uk/about/press/greenwich-to-become-royal-borough
