Southampton to be remembered as last city honoured with a Lord Mayor by Queen Elizabeth II

The late Queen granted just four cities a Lord Mayor during her 70-year reign and Southampton, which received the honour earlier this year, was Her Majesty's last.

The honour came as Southampton won a Platinum Jubilee competition, which offered one city the chance to receive the status - and ministers recommended Southampton to the Queen to be that one city.

Jacqui Rayment became Mayor in May this year. On May 20 she was called to say that as of September 1 she would be able to assume the title Lord Mayor after the Queen had bestowed the honour.

"It was an honour to know that I was going to be the 800th Mayor of Southampton - and only the 31st female to hold that position." said the Right Worshipful Lord Mayor Councillor Jacqui Rayment.

"My Mayor Making ceremony on May 18 was very special with so many family and friends present.

"To then take a call on the 20th to say that (Queen Elizabeth II) had granted Lord Mayor status to one city due to her Platinum Jubilee and that it was only the fourth time she had bestowed this honour in 70 years was amazing.

"At this point I thought they would say it was Bath as it's the Royal City of Bath. To hear that it was Southampton and that as the Mayor of Southampton that honour fell to me was such a privilege.

"The last time the Queen had given this honour was 25 years ago to Exeter."

Lord Mayor is a ceremonial title and although coming with no higher powers than an ordinary mayor, it is a position that garners both respect and admiration as it is only granted to places that have proven themselves to have 'significant importance'.

The Lord Mayor said: "Knowing that (Queen Elizabeth II) recognised the city for all that it is, how it upholds tradition and invests in history, is fantastic."

The Lord Mayor is the city's first citizen, which means they hold jurisdiction over their city unless the Lord Lieutenant of the county, or the Monarch themselves visit.

It is up to them to sit centre stage in major national events, such as the one that happened last week.

"To be Southampton's first citizen is a journey I never expected to be on and what a year it is turning out to be," said Cllr Rayment.

"Reading the Proclamation as part of the historic tradition is hard to put in to words. I was honoured, privileged, nervous, and slightly emotional.

"A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go down in history, to know in years to come when we talk about the Lord Mayor of Southampton or the passing of Her Majesty, my name will be linked to events that went on with this historic moment in time."

However, it is Southampton itself that sits at the forefront of the first citizen's mind, as it joins the rest of the country in mourning, after receiving what proved to be one of the Queen's last honours.