Today, Prince Charles presented the letters patent to the mayor of the new city, Margaret Borton, confirming city status at a formal council meeting.
The documents, signed by the Queen, formally recognise Southend as a city.
Then the Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall took the short trip to Southend seafront to unveil a new eco-friendly pier train which will be named after Sir David.
The pier is the longest pleasure pier in the world and is just over a mile long. It had previously been serviced by diesel trains.
Their Royal Highnesses will then attend a reception for RNLI and HM Coastguard volunteers and community leaders at the Sands By The Sea Restaurant.
Sir David Amess
Chris McAndrew
Britain's Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, arrive at the Civic Centre during a visit to Southend-on-Sea, Britain, March 1, 2022. REUTERS/Matthew Childs/Pool
MATTHEW CHILDS
It is a packed schedule for this royal visit. We’re expecting to see crowds of people lining the streets and waving flags hoping to catch a glimpse of our future King and Queen.
City status is usually granted through a series of competitive bids, managed by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
Last year, the Government announced a Platinum Jubilee competitionwhere towns could apply for city status.
Charles and Camilla in Southend
MATTHEW CHILDS
Southend's eco-friendly pier train
POOL
Following the killing of Sir David Amess in October 2021, Prime Minister Boris announced that Southend-on-Sea would be awarded city status in his honour. Southend had always planned to apply for the 2022 competition.
It is a myth that towns need to have cathedrals to become cities. Historically, that was the case. Therefore, many small communities, such as Wells, or Salisbury, have acquired city status.
But now, a cathedral is not a requirement for city status, after Birmingham was the first town without a cathedral to become a city, in 1889.
Southend-on-Sea doesn’t have a cathedral. But it does have an airport, a football team and a bustling seafront, which are just some of the reasons why Sir David campaigned for it to become a city for so many years.
So today isn’t just about a royal visit. It’s about one man, Sir David Amess, who was so affectionately called ‘Mr Southend’. Seeing Southend-on-Sea become a city was his dream.
As part of today’s ceremony, Sir David will be named as the first Freeman of the City, and his wife, Lady Julia Amess, will receive the honour on behalf of her late husband in the presence of Charles and Camilla.
Ultimately, this is a bittersweet day for the people of Southend.
There are already crowds forming outside the civic centre, with exciting faces hoping to capture a glimpse of the heir to the throne.
It is history in the making, their beloved town becoming a city, but tinged by great sadness that their much-loved MP is not here to see the day he long-campaigned for.
But it cannot be denied that this is what Sir David would have wanted and it’s the most fitting tribute to ‘Mr Southend’.