Scots will be pleased to hear that the former royal burgh of Dunfermline has today been award city status.
The Fife town was one of several locations in the UK and further afield to be given the honour to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
It is the first time that the list of cities has been expanded in the UK since 2012 - which saw Perth given the title.
In 2002, Stirling was given city status for the Queen’s Golden Jubilee.
Scottish Secretary Alister Jack offered his “warmest congratulations” to Dunfermline - which was one of the seats of the kings of Scotland in the middle ages, with Robert the Bruce buried in Dunfermline Abbey after his death in 1329.
Mr Jack said: "Being awarded city status can give places a real boost, from helping grow the local economy, to raising its profile, to instilling civic pride.
"For a place with such rich royal history, it is fitting that Dunfermline is becoming a city as we celebrate our longest-serving monarch's Platinum Jubilee.
"Its lovely green spaces and fantastic cultural attractions will ensure that this new city thrives well into the future."
How does a town become a city?
The process of becoming a city is no longer as cut and dried as simply having a cathedral.
Historically, cities were settlements that had the religious structure in place and they have retained their city status since.
This is despite some of these areas becoming comparatively smaller in the modern day - including the likes of Ely, Wells and Salisbury in England.
That rule was torn out in 1889, when Birmingham became the first town without a cathedral to become a city.
Cathedrals exist in a number of Scottish place and do not have city status - such as Kirkwall, Millport, Oban, Paisley and Motherwell.
The newly awarded city of Dunfermline does not have a cathedral.
City status is now officially granted by ‘letters patent’, meaning a document issued officially by the monarch on the advice of ministers.
Which other towns were up for consideration for city status this year?
Dumfries, Elgin, Greenock, Livingston, Oban, St Andrews and the whole region of South Ayrshire threw their hat in the ring to become Scotland’s newest city.
There was also a total of 21 towns from England, three from Northern Ireland, two from the Isle of Man, one from Wales, one in the Cayman Islands and the territory of Gibraltar in the mix.
Which towns were awarded city status?
A total of eight places were declared cities as part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
These included:
- Bangor, Northern Ireland
- Colchester, England
- Doncaster, England
- Douglas, Isle of Man
- Dunfermline, Scotland
- Milton Keynes, England
- Stanley, Falkland Islands
- Wrexham, Wales
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