Skip to site navigation

Accessibility Options

Font size

Colour scheme

Greenwich to become Royal Borough

 


Greenwich is to be given the rare honour of becoming a Royal Borough. Her Majesty the Queen bestowed the new status on Greenwich, which will take effect in the Diamond Jubilee year of 2012.

The honour was confirmed on Tuesday 5 January in the House of Lords by Lord Mandelson, President of the Privy Council.

Links with royalty 

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.

There are at present three Royal Boroughs: Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston, and Windsor and Maidenhead. They all reflect longstanding Royal associations.

'Wonderful news'

Council Leader, Chris Roberts, was in the House of Lords to hear the announcement. He 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. They date back almost 600 years and continue 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."

Events for Queen's Diamond Jubilee

Lord Mandelson's announcement in the House of Lords was part of a series of announcements relating to planned celebrations to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012.

As well as confirming Royal Status for Greenwich, he also revealed 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.

Go to the Diamond Jubilee website

Related link

Official website of the British Monarchy

A to Z of Services

Leisure & culture

About Greenwich