The King and Queen visit Bradford

The King and Queen visited Bradford District on Thursday 15 May, meeting members of the public, community and business leaders, schoolchildren and artists from the Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture programme, during series of engagements across the district.

Visiting Bradford Live, Their Majesties were welcomed by a performance of eight musicians from Paraorchestra, the world’s first integrated ensemble of professional disabled and non-disabled musicians, ahead of Paraorchestra’s collaboration with artist Jeremy Deller in The Bradford Progress across the weekend of 17 and 18 May for Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture.

Inside the recently regenerated entertainment venue, which has stood in the city centre since 1930, The King and Queen observed a rehearsal by local pupils of ‘Sing, Dance, Leap’, an education programme in schools across the city run by the Royal Ballet and Opera with Northern Ballet and Opera North.

Their Majesties joined a reception attended by artists, contributors to the Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture programme, and other guests. His Majesty also met young people from Bradford who have been supported by The King’s Trust, as well as Bradford born-magician and alumnus of The Trust, Steven Frayne – formerly known as Dynamo. The Trust supports thousands of young people each year across Yorkshire.

His Majesty The King visited Impact Hub Yorkshire, part of a global network which provides support to businesses finding sustainable solutions to social challenges. His Majesty heard reflections from a roundtable hosted by the British Asian Trust, and joined a reception of organisations supported by the Impact Hub, to hear about the role it has played in sustainably growing local enterprises and supporting entrepreneurs from diverse communities in the region.

Her Majesty The Queen attended an event celebrating literature and reading, led by the National Literacy Trust, of which The Queen is Patron. After visiting the Bradford Stories Bus, a travelling literacy event space to inspire children to read and write for pleasure, Her Majesty joined schoolchildren who are taking part in the National Literacy Trust’s ‘Share Your Story’ campaign to watch a group performance of a poem by young people, National Literacy Trust partners and Literacy Champions.

Her Majesty also visited the Brontë Birthplace, the cottage in Thornton where the Brontë children were born in the early nineteenth century, which has recently been purchased for the community and transformed into a cultural and educational centre. Following a two-year campaign, and support from over 700 individual investors, alongside funding from Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture and the Community Ownership Fund, the birthplace of the Brontë children has opened to the public for the first time in two hundred years. Following a tour of the cottage and meeting volunteers and local schoolchildren, Her Majesty unveiled a plaque to mark the official opening of the Brontë Birthplace during the City of Culture year.

His Majesty The King ended the tour of Bradford with a visit to Cartwright Hall Art Gallery in Lister Park. His Majesty toured the David Hockney gallery, dedicated to the life and career of the Bradford-born artist. The collection includes a unique selection of Hockney’s work from the 1950s and reproductions of personal photos on display in a public gallery for the first time.

At Cartwright Hall Art Gallery, The King met local people involved in grassroots cultural activities and community group in the city. His Majesty and watched a performance by the Bantam of the Opera choir, a group of local Bradford City Football Club fans taught to sing opera by BBC Radio Leeds during Bradford’s City of Culture year, before greeting members of the public who had gathered to welcome His Majesty to the city.

Shanaz Gulzar, Creative Director, and Daniel Bates, Executive Director, Bradford 2025 said:

“We were delighted to welcome Their Majesties The King and Queen during their visit to Bradford District as we celebrate Bradford’s year as 2025 UK City of Culture.”

“Today’s visit by Their Majesties was a memorable moment in a year in which culture and creativity is driving confidence and investment across the District, bringing communities together to share in Bradford’s vibrant arts and events scene, ensuring the continued success of the city’s world-class venues, and shaping the future of one of the UK’s youngest and most diverse cities.”

Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe, Leader, Bradford Metropolitan District Council, said:

“Today’s visit from the King and Queen has been fantastic for the district.  It’s lovely to see so many people coming together to celebrate and welcome them.

“As our year as UK City of Culture gathers pace into the summer season, this visit has really helped to showcase the strength of the cultural offer here as well as the beauty of the district; from the newly transformed city centre and historic Cartwright Hall to Thornton and the Bronte birthplace. Bradford really is a city, and a district, on the move and today’s Royal visit is another vote of confidence in Bradford and its future.”

Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture is delivered by Bradford Culture Company, a charity supported by public investment from HM Government, Bradford Metropolitan District Council, West Yorkshire Combined Authority and through National Lottery funding from Arts Council England, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, The National Lottery Community Fund, Spirit of 2012, British Film Institute and a number of trusts, foundations and corporate sponsors.