Milton Keynes and Doncaster are among eight places to be granted city status as part of celebrations for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

Stanley in the Falklands Islands also made the list, becoming the first Overseas Territory to win the honour through competition.

Douglas, on the Crown Dependency of the Isle of Man, has also been given the coveted status.

Also on the list are Bangor in Northern Ireland, Colchester in England, Wrexham in Wales and Dunfermline in Scotland.

They are some of the places that ‘make Britain great’, according Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Steve Barclay.

He said: ‘What was clear to me during the process of assessing each application was the pride that people felt for their communities, local cultural heritage and the Royal Family.

‘As we celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s colossal contribution to society, I am thrilled that we are able to recognise some of the many places that make Britain great.

‘It is also incredibly reflective of Her Majesty’s global outlook and years of international service that applicants from the Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies have been selected as winners for the first time.’

The new cities can expect a boost to local communities and open up new opportunities for people who live there, according to the Cabinet Office.

Stanley, the Falkland Islands capital, was said to have secured its new status thanks to its sustainable practices and sense of civic pride.

Despite having a population of just 2,500, it competed with 39 other towns seeking city status in honour of the Platinum Jubilee.

The award comes as the 40th anniversary of the end of the Falklands War after Argentine forces invaded the territory on April 2,1982.

Eight towns given city status in honour of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee

England

• Milton Keynes
• Doncaster
• Colchester

Wales

• Wrexham

Scotland

• Dunfermline

Northern Ireland

• Bangor

Isle of Man

• Douglas

Falklands Islands

• Stanley

Residents have come together to remember the sacrifices made during the short but bloody conflict.

It boasts a calendar of celebrations and special events such as Peat Cutting Monday and the annual Stanley Sports Race Meeting, which includes horse racing and gymkhana events.

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries described city status as ‘a huge accolade’, adding: ‘This competition showcases the best of Britain and the Overseas Territories and will act as a lasting legacy of Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.’

The Cabinet Office said Perth, which was granted city status in 2012 as part of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, has seen its local economy expand by 12% in the decade after it secured its new title.

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