Councillor John Andrew, the Mayor, made a speech before the Proclamation of accession of King Charles III on 10th September 2022.

The Mayor was joined by members of the public, outside Cowbridge Town Hall, who turned up to pay their respects to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and to hear the Proclamation of accession.

During the speech, the Mayor spoke of the history of the town of Cowbridge and its previous accession proclamations:

"Cowbridge, as we all know, received its first charter in 1254 when Henry III was King. Since then Cowbridge has witnessed and perhaps proclaimed the accessions of 32 sovereigns from Edward the first in 1272 to Queen Elizabeth II in 1952.

"Our two silver maces, being proudly held by our Mace Bearer are dated 1606 when James the first was king. Cowbridge witnessed and probably proclaimed the accession of King Charles the first in 1625 and King Charles the second in 1660.

"Now in 2022 we are about to proclaim the accession of King Charles the third.

"So we feel we have the weight of history behind us and after considerable research the Town Clerk and I decided to go ahead with our local proclamation today following the precedent set at the accession of her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the 2nd.

"Fortunately, courtesy of Betty Alden of the Cowbridge History Society, we have photographic evidence clearly showing the proclamation being made outside this Town Hall with the mayor, Cllr Mrs F.E. Hinton, wearing her robes and the mace bearers present.

"Some may feel that we should be doing this proclamation tomorrow but, as I have said, we feel that we have the weight of history behind us and are proud to be probably one of the first towns to make a local proclamation following the principal proclamation in London.

"You will have seen that the union flag has been restored to the top of the mast for this accession proclamation. It will be lowered to half mast again tomorrow after all proclamations are complete and stay at half-mast until after the funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the second."

He went on to remark on the sadness of the occasion:

"On a personal note it is clearly sad for me that the Queen who has been on the throne for 70 years and been a constant in my life, has died during my term as mayor.

"However, it is certainly a great privilege and honour to be able to proclaim a new monarch and to be the first mayor to do that since Cllr Mrs Hinton in 1952.

"Without further ado I will now read the proclamation:

"Whereas it hath pleased Almighty God to call to His mercy our late sovereign lady Queen Elizabeth II of blessed and glorious memory by whose decease the Crown of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is solely and rightfully come to the Prince Charles Philip Arthur George: we therefore the Lords Spiritual and Temporal of this Realm and members of the House of Commons together with other members of her late Majesty's Privy Council and representatives of the realms and territories, Aldermen and Citizens of London and others do now hereby with one Voice and Consent of Tongue and Heart publish and proclaim that the Prince Charles Philip Arthur George is now by the death of our late sovereign of happy memory become our only lawful and rightful liege lord Charles the third by the grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of his other realms and territories, King, head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the faith to whom we do acknowledge all Faith and Obedience with humble Affection beseeching God by whom Kings and Queens do reign, to bless his Majesty with long and happy years to reign over us.

"Given at Saint James's Palace this 10th day of September in the year of our lord two thousand and 22.

"God save the King."

The Town Crier then led the singing of the first verse of the national anthem and called for three cheers for his Majesty the King.