King to unveil mother's statue at minster during Yorkshire tour

The King will unveil a statue of his late mother in York as part of a two-day visit to Yorkshire.

The monarch will carry out engagements in Leeds and Bradford on 8 November, including a visit to the headquarters of supermarket chain Morrisons.

On 9 November, accompanied by the Queen Consort, he will visit York Minster for the statue unveiling.

They will then travel to Doncaster where they will formally confer its city status.

The 6ft 7in (2m) statue sits in a niche on the minster's west front and was intended to honour the Queen in her Platinum Jubilee year.

The design had been chosen by the late monarch and was originally due to be unveiled in September, but this was postponed after the Queen's death.

The King and Queen will be greeted by civic dignitaries at York's Micklegate Bar before attending a service at the minster and then unveiling the statue.

York's Lord Mayor David Carr said: "I am thrilled to be able to welcome him on what I am certain will be a day which combines great joy at his visit and reflection on the great service and legacy of his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II."

The couple will then travel to Doncaster which was one of eight towns granted city status as part of the celebrations of the Queen's Jubilee.

The city's Mayor Ros Jones said she was delighted the couple were visiting.

"I am looking forward to sharing this day with so many local people and communities," she added.

Touring West Yorkshire on Tuesday, the King will visit the head office of supermarket chain Morrisons, in Bradford, to hear about how it is helping customers with the cost-of-living crisis.

He will also attend a reception for young leaders at Bradford City Hall.

In Leeds, the King will be shown a number of The World Reimagined Globes on display as part of a national project to explore the history and impact of the transatlantic slave trade.

He will also meet members of the Jamaican and wider West Indian community, and tour the Jamaica Society Leeds' Rebellion to Romance exhibition.

At Leeds Central Library, he will unveil a special plaque to mark the 10th anniversary of the Child Friendly Leeds initiative.

Lord Mayor of Leeds Robert Gettings MBE said: "We are incredibly proud that the King will be helping us to mark 10 years of Child Friendly Leeds, an initiative which has made such a profound and lasting difference to the lives of so many young people and families across the city and within our communities."

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