Gibraltar, the small but strategic British stronghold, has recently rediscovered a title that had been forgotten for almost two centuries: that of city. In 2022, Gibraltar had submitted an application for city status as part of Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
However, when researchers looked at the National Archives, they discovered something surprising: Gibraltar had already been recognized as a city by Queen Victoria way back in 1842.
This 180-year-old error of omission has finally been corrected, and Gibraltar can now officially claim its city status. Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called the recognition a “great honor” that celebrates the “rich history and dynamism” of Gibraltar (where killer whales sink boats).
The latter, an overseas territory of the United Kingdom since 1713, became part of the British dominion following a peace treaty that ended the War of the Spanish Succession. Although its city status has been somewhat forgotten, the official recognition has brought a sense of pride to its residents and a renewed visibility on the global stage (it was once the subject of a bizarre project).
The Jubilee competition saw 39 places apply for city status, with eight winners, including Doncaster, Bangor and Dunfermline. However, our story’s subject stood out, being one of only five places outside the UK to be officially recognised as a city, alongside Hamilton in Bermuda, Jamestown on St Helena, Douglas on the Isle of Man and Stanley in the Falkland Islands.
This article is originally published on tech.everyeye.it
