His Majesty The King and Queen Consort coming to Bucks on Thursday

The King and Queen Consort are coming to Bucks on Thursday, February 16.

It was confirmed last week that King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla will visit nearby Milton Keynes tomorrow and well-wishers will be welcome to catch a glimpse of the royal family.

The purpose of the visit is to “formally mark” MK’s newly conferred city status, its council has announced.

Queen Consort Camilla was due to accompany the King on Thursday’s visit to MK but she tested positive for Covid on Monday and it is unclear whether she will make the trip.

However the first two of three planned engagements in MK are still going ahead.

A line-up of city dignitaries, charity leaders and volunteers will meet the King and the song Amazing Grace will be performed in his honour by city soloist Emily Haig.

Milton Keynes Council leader, Pete Marland, said: “We are delighted that The King and Queen Consort are able to join us to formally mark Milton Keynes becoming a city, and to meet some of the people who were instrumental in making it happen.

“We’ll be sharing some of the reasons we’re so proud of the city and explaining why our diverse and welcoming communities are so united by a love of where we live.”

Mayor of Milton Keynes, Amanda Marlow, said: “It was an honour for Milton Keynes to have the Proclamation of His Majesty King Charles III read, for the first time as a city, having not been in existence for the accession of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to the throne.

“It is with enormous pride that we will welcome Their Majesties to our city of Milton Keynes. We look forward to introducing them to an array of charities and community groups that help make our city such a wonderful place to live, work and play.”

Milton Keynes was named a city as part of celebrations for Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee in May last year.

The council brought together more than 50 knowledgeable people and organisations to develop the bid, which also had public support, with hundreds of residents submitting photographs of their favourite local places, and a competition for school pupils to design a flag for MK.