HRH the Duke of York is to visit York to help celebrate Charter Day, on Monday 9 July, 800 years to the day since York was granted a Royal Charter, allowing the city to take charge of its financial affairs and to trade freely.
During the visit he will be:
- Visiting the set of York’s cycle of mystery plays in the museum gardens and meeting the stars of the Plays, Ferdinand Kingsley and Graeme Hawley, as well as the joint artistic directors, Damian Cruden and Paul Burbridge
- Taking part in the York 800 cake giveaway
- Learning about the history of York and the charter and the Heritage Lottery Fund bid to refurbish the first floor of York Explore: the archives and reference library
- Meeting some of the key players involved in the Ebor Vox performance on Charter Day. The performance will be from 6pm.
City of York Council cabinet member for leisure, culture and tourism, Councillor Sonja Crisp, said:
We’re absolutely delighted to welcome another member of the Royal Family to York. Having the Duke of York here to celebrate this occasion will make it even more special.
Janet Barnes, chief executive of York Museums Trust, said:
It’s a fantastic opportunity to be able to show the Duke of York the start of this important production of York Mystery Plays 2012 with the building of the huge stage with the covered seating areas. As patron of the plays we are delighted that he is able to come up and meet some of the people working behind the scenes to put on this ambitious production, which opens in August.
