The Lord Mayor of Southampton has hailed the 60th anniversary of when Southampton was officially granted city status as ‘an important celebration.’

On February 24, 1964, Southampton was granted a royal charter and awarded city status, more than three decades after King George V had initially turned down the request.

To mark the special anniversary, the Lord Mayor of Southampton, Cllr Valerie Laurent has been speaking to the Echo, hailing the day as an important marker in the city’s history.

She said: “It’s something that everyone in Southampton can celebrate.

“It’s amazing, looking around today, that it’s only been 60 years that we’ve been a city as we’re pretty well established now.

“We sit on the shoulders of history, very ancient history, Medieval history, Roman history, which is the groundwork of the future really, so it’s very important to recognise and celebrate that in a unique city such as ours and retain that history.”

READ MORE: Southampton to celebrate landmark 60th anniversary

Cllr Laurent is the 801st Right Worshipful Mayor in Southampton’s history and only the second Lord Mayor of the city after the late Queen Elizabeth II approved the decision as part of her Platinum Jubilee Civic Honours competition.

Daily Echo:

The Lord Mayor also praised Southampton’s international routes, having long been labelled the ‘gateway to the world’.

“We should celebrate on the point of being international, we’re a very important port,” she said.

“People from all over the world come here and settle here, we’re a very diverse city and have a lot to celebrate.”

Additionally, the Lord Mayor was eager to highlight Southampton’s diverse culture and how it brings people from all walks of life together.

She said: “I think the diversity in the city is very important and brings richness to society here.

“We have been celebrating Chinese New Year recently and just recently I was at some wonderful Hindu festivities.

“The colour and the dancing and the joy that it brought was just amazing and the people you meet are fantastic.”

The Lord Mayor hopes that Southampton celebrates many more anniversaries going forward, as she said: “We need to keep value and appreciate what we have here for the future.

“We need to make sure that this city continues for the next 60 years and beyond.”