Milton Keynes is awarded city status by The Queen

Eight new cities have been named for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, with at least one in every UK nation – and we are very pleased to announce that Milton Keynes is one of them.

Dunfermline in Scotland, Bangor in Northern Ireland and Wrexham in Wales also all get the title.

It is a first for places in an Overseas Territory – Stanley, in the Falklands – and a crown dependency – Douglas, in the Isle of Man – to win city status.

Colchester and Doncaster complete the list getting the royal honour.

The Platinum Jubilee civic honours competition required applicants to show their cultural heritage and royal links as well as how their local identity and communities meant they deserved to be granted city status.

The new cities can expect a boost to local communities and the opening up of new opportunities for people who live there, the Cabinet Office said.

It cited research that suggested previous winner Perth, in Scotland, saw the local economy expand by 12% in the decade it was granted city status, after it put them on the international map as a place to do business.

We are extremely pleased for the ‘city’ and proud to have been a part of the bid process.