Middlesbrough is an “amazing town with amazing people” - and that’s exactly what King Charles and Queen Camilla saw on their special royal trip to Teesside.
It was a day of pride and positivity on Thursday (February 13) as Their Majesties got a chance to see the “best of the town” and its cheering residents.
Royal buzz took over as the King and Queen waved their way through Centre Square in the first visit from a sitting Monarch since Queen Elizabeth opened Pallister Park in 1993.
It was a chance for the pair to meet residents - from school kids to centenarians - and speak about the good and the bad, from literacy to knife crime.
And the visit was a world away from what took place just streets away last summer when shocking and frightening riots caused devastation in a dark day for the town.
But those who lined the barriers from the early hours said this just showed how far Middlesbrough had come in six months - and that it was “amazing to see everyone together” draped in red, white, and blue.
Alex O’Leary reports on a momentous day for the town - and the overwhelming feeling of pride and positivity.
Fences up, bottled note washed, and new planters in place, Middlesbrough was ready for its first visit from a Head of State in more than three decades.
While there may have only been a couple of hundred people at Centre Square at 11am, the excitement was still palpable - and the town was a hive of activity.
The scale of the operation was already clear, with dozens of police officers already walking around the square, standing guard, or chatting with the crowds.
Eagle-eyed visitors only had to look up and focus and they will have noticed several officers standing on the rooftops of buildings, including the Cleveland Centre and the Church House tower block, watching down through binoculars.
At the front of the queue were many royal superfans of all ages waiting in line with hopes of getting a famous wave, handshake, or even a conversation with Their Majesties.
One of the people who arrived bright and early was budding royal photographer Lewis Langstaff-Wood, from Bishop Auckland.
The 16-year-old Year 11 student hoped to grab some snaps of the pair throughout the day: “I’m an aspiring royal photographer and I had to be here.
“This is the first time a Monarch has been to Middlesbrough in 30 years. I managed to get out of a mock exam for it - and the school has actually allowed me to be here!”
As the crowds started to build, the square was treated to the sounds of local musician Mike McGrother, who led performances of songs and poetry celebrating Middlesbrough.
He was joined by the Infant Hercules Choir and band The Wildcats of Kilkenny, with crowds forming a circle around the group as they belted out proudly about the town.
And you didn’t need to look far to find others who were shouting loud and proud about Teesside, and what it means for them to see the King and Queen in town.
Julie Parker, from Stainton, who remembered when the Queen visited in 1993, said it was a special day to come together, six months after rioting rocked the nearby streets.
As previously reported, missiles were launched at police, cars overturned and torched, and properties shattered by bricks during the incomprehensible scenes last August.
But the devastation didn’t break the town - and residents bounced back and rebuilt just hours after the shocking scenes.
For Julie, a 65-year-old grandma-of-four, it was amazing to see such solidarity: “We’ve had some bad times recently, with the riots, so it’s good to see the community coming together.
“We are real royalists - we went to the Royal Wedding and the Coronation!”
The atmosphere continued to build as the day ticked on, with hundreds surrounding the entire stretch of the fencing along Centre Square with hopes of seeing the King.
Then, at around 2.25pm, the sound of schoolchildren screaming erupted in the square, signalling the arrival of the King and Queen.
Centre Square became a sea of frantically waved Union Jack flags, posters, banners, and pretty much every other piece of royal memorabilia you can imagine.
The King and Queen gave plenty of time to shake hands, take in gifts, and say hello as they made their way along the crowds.
The day was filled with positivity - although there was a whiff of tension when an anti-monarchist group waved 'Abolish the Monarchy flags' just metres from the King.
Margaret from Newcastle and Ken from Seaham were among those protesting against the King's visit, with Margaret arguing she was “a citizen, not a subject.”
But the King continued - despite a brief moment of confusion where his luxury car fleet made its way down the open space.
They made it all the way to the end of the crowd queue before they and their security detail hopped into the vehicles and made their way out of Middlesbrough.
While Their Majesties had a string of engagements on Teesside before greeting crowds, including chatting about knife crime and visiting SeAH Wind, they were probably only outside in Centre Square for about 15 minutes.
But the short time didn’t matter to most - who were absolutely ecstatic that they had given up some of their time to visit the town.
And Middlesbrough Mayor Chris Cooke put it perfectly as he spoke to The Northern Echo just moments after the King left: “They came and saw the best of Middlesbrough
“And hopefully, that's how we continue. It’s that positive track that we absolutely need rather than a focus on negativity.
“We are an amazing town with amazing people and the council has done us absolutely proud today, so thank you to everyone.”
Read More on the Middlesbrough Royal Visit:
- Middlesbrough Royal Visit: Live updates on King and Queen
- Rona celebrates 100th birthday by meeting King Charles
And as the crowds headed home for the day, the overwhelming feeling was pride.
Pride that the town had shown off some of its best - while also discussing the issues it faces and how it is trying to improve.
Pride that hundreds had flocked to be a part of the special day.
Pride that the event had shown the town off in a positive light.
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