George Town, the capital of British Overseas territory The Cayman Islands, has been left disappointed after it failed in its efforts to be awarded city status as part of Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

Stanley, the capital of the Falkland Islands, at the same time became the first and only British Overseas Territory town to be granted the status.

Stanley is among a record eight winners selected in the city status competition, which is run on jubilee years. 

The last competition was held in 2012 to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

In a statement following the announcement, Martyn Roper, governor of The Cayman Islands, told Cayman citizens: “I know many of you will join me in my disappointment in learning that, despite a very strong application, George Town has not been successful in achieving city status.”

He added: “I know an incredible amount of work by the Cayman Islands Government went into the application and we were very close. However, there were a considerable amount of applications, 38 bids in total.

This was the first time Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies were eligible to bid and only one of each was chosen. Stanley’s award of city status also occurs in the year that marks the 40th anniversary of the Falklands War.