King Charles III has city centre walk about before attending civic service at St Giles’ marking City Status

Crowds lined the city’s High Street this afternoon to catch a glimpse of King Charles III and The Queen Consort.

Their Majesties have visited Wrexham today as part of a celebration of the town gaining city status.

The King has a walkabout on Church St meeting crowds before entering St Giles’ pic.twitter.com/bd33kd7e1y

— Wrexham.com (@wrexham) December 9, 2022

The honour was granted earlier this year and the official “Letter Patent” confirmed city status from 1 September.

Wrexham became the seventh city in Wales joining Cardiff, Swansea, Newport, Bangor, St Davids and St Asaph.

After visiting The Racecourse this morning to meet Wrexham AFC’s Hollywood owners along with Chief Executive, Fleur Robinson and Executive Director, Humphrey Ker, King Charles III and The Queen Consort attended a service at St Giles Church.

Crowds lined the street to welcome the King before he was greeted at St Giles’ by the Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Clwyd, Mr Lloyd Fitzhugh and welcomed to the Church by the Wardens of St Giles’.

Councillors and local representatives joined Their Majesties to listen to a service by Revd. Jason Bray in the nave of the Church, during which The King formally marked the conferral of City status on Wrexham.

Their Majesties also had a chance to see the Church’s treasures including the First Edition King James Bible and a rare early 14th century chalice which is still in use before meeting Church/ecumenical representatives and local community groups.

Crowds gather outside St Giles church in Wrexham to welcome King Charles III & The Queen Consort pic.twitter.com/kPJnpFahuI

— Calon FM (@CalonFM) December 9, 2022

The service began with Mayor of Wrexham Cllr Brian Cameron offering a warm welcome to Their Majesties, before Cllr Ian Bancroft and Cllr Mark Pritchard gave speeches to the crowd inside the church.

The pair discussed what Wrexham had to offer and the pride in gaining city status.

They also made reference to the “Hollywood glamour” of Wrexham AFC, which brought a smile to King Charles’ face.

During the service, His Majesty The King formally marked the conferral of City status on Wrexham, with a short speech.

His Royal Highness said: “Boneddigion a boneddigesau,

“Mr Mayor, Leader of the Council, Chief Executive, Ladies and Gentlemen,

“My wife and I are absolutely delighted to be with you in Wrexham today to celebrate your becoming a city.

“As you know, city status was granted to eight different communities in order to celebrate my late mother’s Platinum Jubilee.

“As we now mark this historic occasion, we also look back, with mingled sadness and pride, at that extraordinary reign, during which, as you know, my mother’s great love for Wales was always apparent.

“It is thoroughly fitting that we should celebrate the creation of Wales’s newest city in the setting of this magnificent church, which truly deserves its designation as one of the Seven Wonders of Wales.

“Of course, as no fewer than six of the seven Wonders are in North East Wales, we cannot help but think that whoever wrote that famous anonymous rhyme – Pistyll Rhaeadr and Wrexham steeple, Snowdon’s mountain without its people, Overton yew trees, St. Winifred’s Well, Llangollen’s Bridge and Gresford’s bells – must have been from this part of the world!

“A little earlier today, I had the opportunity to see one of the other wonders of Wrexham, namely the football club, which is busy putting Wrexham on the map as never before. And, of course, this comes after the Welsh national team has brought unprecedented international recognition to Wales through qualifying for the World Cup.

“The motto of Welsh football – Gor-au Chwar-ae, Cyd Chwar-ae – sums up the spirit of community, and of joint endeavour, which is so important to Wales, and which, over the years, I have come to know and value more than I can possibly say.

“So, ladies and gentlemen, as you celebrate your new-found status for this very special part of the world, nothing could give me greater pleasure than to say llongyfarchiadau and to wish you every possible success for the future.”

Their Majesties then went on to view the church’s treasures including the First Edition King James Bible and a rare early 14th Century chalice which is still in use, with Reverend Jason Bray offering an insight into the church labelled “Remarkable” by His Royal Highness.

During the last part of the Royal visit, The King and Queen Consort met with church representatives and local community groups.

They met with Wrexham foodbank, where the Queen Consort was delighted to hear of the recent surge in donations to the organisation.

CEO of Moneypenny Joanna Swash discussed King Charles’ last visit to Wrexham where he got a tour of the company, to which His Majesty joked he didn’t have the best of memory.

The King and Queen Consort also met with representatives from the police force, NHS, military and Glyndwr University.

The service was finished with King Charles signing the document to Mark the city status, before being cheered out of the church by those in attendance.

The Mayor of Wrexham, Councillor Brian Cameron, said: “What a wonderful day for Wales’ newest city!

“These are exciting times and it was a tremendous honour to welcome Their Majesties The King and The Queen Consort to the county borough.”

Councillor Mark Pritchard, Leader of the Council, said: “There’s a huge amount of positive energy around the city of Wrexham at the moment.

“We have a World Heritage Site, an amazing football club and people all over the world are starting to hear about us and are visiting Wrexham.

“I’m incredibly proud of Wrexham’s story, and to receive a visit from Their Majesties is wonderful and a very proud moment for myself.”

Ian Bancroft, Chief Executive at Wrexham Council, said: “This was a truly historic day for the county borough.

“Wrexham is raising the bar and showing the world what amazing potential it has, and to be able to welcome Their Majesties to celebrate city status is a fitting to way to round off an exceptional year for Wrexham.”

(Report / Pics Wrexham.com / Royal Rota / WCBC)