Southend City Day: The future King and Queen come to Essex
The future King and Queen are in the city today
Last updated 1st Mar 2022
Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, are visiting Southend today, in a trip which will confirm Southend's new city status and pay tribute to murdered local MP, Sir David Amess.
Days after his death, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced: "Her Majesty has agreed that Southend will be accorded the city status it so clearly deserves."
Sir David was a long-standing campaigner for his constituency to be recognised as a city.
WATCH: We went along to see the first city signs go up ahead of official celebrations today...
This will be the Duke and Duchess' first public appearance together since they both tested positive for Coronavirus, and the Queen announced the Duchess would be known as the Queen Consort when Charles become King.
They are carrying out a number of engagements while in the area.
Council Ceremony
His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales' first appearance was at a formal council meeting.
Charles formally presented the legal document which entitles the change of status, the Letters Patent, to Southend’s mayor Margaret Borton at a council meeting.
It made Southend-on-Sea the second city in Essex, alongside Chelmsford, and the 52nd city in England.
He did so on behalf of the Queen and was joined by his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall.
Charles recalled meeting Sir David on a visit to the Palace Theatre in Westcliff-on-Sea in 2014, describing him as “a renowned and respected parliamentarian and an effective campaigner on many national and local issues”.
“Among them was his passionate determination to secure city status for Southend-on-Sea,” he said.
“Today, we mark the culmination of that dedicated campaign – and yet, how we all wish we could celebrate the occasion without the shadow of the dreadful event which took the life of such a devoted public servant.
“I am only too aware that today’s ceremony cannot possibly replace the agonising loss felt by Sir David’s widow, Lady (Julia) Amess, and their five children, but I do hope it will offer at least some small comfort in such unbearable sorrow.”
He said he hoped the new city would “continue from strength to strength, honouring the memory and legacy of Sir David Amess – one of its greatest ambassadors – and inspired always by the example of his dedication to the community he loved”.
Lady Amess, the wife of former MP Sir David Amess, received the first 'Freedom of the City', on behalf of her late husband, who'd campaigned for Southend to become a city for many years.
Days after Sir David’s death, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that “Her Majesty has agreed that Southend will be accorded the city status it so clearly deserves”.
Lady Julia listened to the ceremony and accepted Sir David’s posthumous honour.
Former Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe, a friend of Sir David’s, read a statement on behalf of Lady Julia and her family.
“Despite a traumatic and tragic journey, we have arrived at the city of Southend-on-Sea,” she said.
“How thrilled our husband and father would be to know that Her Majesty the Queen has bestowed such a huge honour to the people of Southend-on-Sea in his name.
“A dream come true, and he would now be wanting to get out there and make the very best of this huge opportunity for the city.
“There would have been talk of nothing else in our home or indeed whenever he spoke in Parliament. How we wish that this could be.
“Of course, David was very well aware that city status would not have been possible without the help and hard work of so many people.
“The people of Southend-on-Sea came together and look what they achieved
“We know they will continue to work together in friendship and with pride to promote their city.”
Ms Widdecombe said that, on behalf of Sir David, the family “wish to say thank you to the amazing people in the community who have achieved so much for Southend”.
The statement concluded: “We are, of course, filled with sadness that he’s no longer with us but his legacy is huge and we are so grateful to have had him in our lives and to know that he will never be forgotten.”
Unveiling Pier Trains
Their Royal Highnesses then unveiled a new eco-friendly Pier train, which has been named after Sir David Amess.
The battery-powered trains will be used to take visitors from the shoreline to the end of Southend Pier, which at 1.33 miles (2.14km) is the longest pleasure pier in the world.
WATCH: Prince Charles unveils the new eco-pier train:
The £3.25 million pier train replacement project is seeing the existing diesel trains, which have been in operation on the pier since 1986, replaced with new, eco-friendly trains, designed in heritage green and cream following a public vote.
Green and cream-liveried pier trains previously ran on Southend Pier from 1949 to 1978.
The Duchess of Cornwall capped her visit with the Prince of Wales to mark Southend-on-Sea becoming a city by having a seaside staple - fish and chips.
Camilla's lunch of cod and chips was accompanied with tartar sauce and a wally - the local word for a gherkin - when she stopped for a bite to eat.
Earlier the Prince of Wales spoke about the war in Ukraine, saying the values of democracy were under attack in the country in the "most unconscionable way" during a ceremony to confer city status on Southend-on-Sea.
Charles famously does not eat lunch so the duchess had a private solo meal at Sands By The Sea restaurant where the couple met charity volunteers, faith leaders and health workers at the end of their visit.
Philip Miller, executive chairman of Stockvale which owns and runs the restaurant and Southend's fun park Adventure Island, said:
"The visit was tremendous for Southend. The turnout was brilliant.
"When she came in we offered her cod and chips and she had them in the boardroom. She thoroughly enjoyed them."
Before arriving at the restaurant, the couple went on a long walkabout along the seafront and Charles was asked about the health of the Queen by Janice Jacom, 64, an admin worker at a local golf course. She said:
"I asked the prince about his mother and he said 'she's a lot better now - it was very mild'. It was a bit worrying as the Queen is getting on a bit but I think she's absolutely wonderful."
Meanwhile, the District Commander of Essex police, Chief Inspector Ian Hughes, said it was “a proud day for Southend”.
Ch Insp Hughes said achieving city status was a fitting tribute for late Southend MP Sir David Amess who was fatally stabbed at a constituency surgery in October last year. He said:
“The city status is Sir David’s legacy. It was something he was very passionate about and he would often tell me his about his ambitions for Southend and how we could work together to achieve them.”
Ch Insp Hughes was one of the guests at a reception at a restaurant on the sea front and he said spoke to the Duchess of Cornwall about the work going on to tackle crime in Southend.
“I had the privilege of talking to the Duchess of Cornwall. She was very friendly and asked me questions about the challenges of policing in Southend.
“It gave me a great opportunity to tell her about all the great partnership work between the police, the unitary authority and voluntary organisations and charities who all work together to make sure people in Southend are well looked after.”
As someone who has lived in Southend his whole life, Ch Insp Hughes added that he believes city status will have a positive impact.
“Southend being awarded city status really offers the people of Southend hope for the future. We are a developing city, but it shows we have the potential to grow and become an even more attractive place for people to live, work and to visit. It’s a proud day for Southend and will put us on the map nationally.”
We'll have the latest on their visit throughout the day here.