Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away on Thursday, visited Preston many times. She reined for over 70 years and was the longest serving monarch of the United Kingdom.
Here we look at some of the more memorable occasions when the late Queen visited the city. Images are from the Red Rose Collection, Preston Digital Archive and the Lancashire Evening Post.
The late Queen first visited Preston, as the Queen, in 1955. She had also visited Preston in 1949, when still Princess Elizabeth. In April 1955 she began a Royal tour of Lancashire, along with the Duke of Edinburgh.
Firstly, she travelled from Windsor by the steam hauled Royal Train, to Morecambe. She then went by car to Lancaster followed by Preston. Here she met the Mayor and visited the Hutton police headquarters.
There is a Pathe newsreel of the visit on YouTube.
In 1974 the Queen visited Preston Railway Station. Here she viewed the power signal box while the Duke of Edinburgh visited the B.A.C. Works, on Strand Road. She later went on to Lancaster. The claret liveried Royal train can be seen in the background of the image above. The first Royal carriage was built as early as 1842 for Queen Adelaide.
Perhaps the Queen’s most significant visit was in 1977, for the Silver Jubilee. She toured the country, in celebration of 25 years since her accession to the throne, in February 1952. Additionally she visited another 36 countries in three months. On 7 June street parties were held throughout the land.
As the Mayor of Preston, Councillor Neil Darby, said in his recent tribute to the Queen: “The people of Preston will forever remember her visit to the City in 2002 as part of Her Majesty’s Golden Jubilee and the honour she bestowed by granting City Status to Preston as part of her Jubilee celebrations.”
Prince Charles, now King Charles III, has also visited the North West several times. He visited Morecambe last year, where he viewed the fire station and local businesses.
Additionally, in 1981, just before his wedding to Princess Diana, he visited Preston’s Gujarat Hindu Society.
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