The candidates include the Falkland Islands capital, a world-renowned hub for golf and a small Cornish community of only 1,440.
St Andrews, Stanley and Marazion are facing off against dozens of other towns in a bid to be granted city status by the Queen as part of next year’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
Some 39 places from across the UK – and overseas territories for the first time – are in the hunt to become the first ‘civic honours’ winners since Chelmsford, Perth and the Welsh town of St Asaph in 2012.
Milton Keynes, one of the largest towns on the list with almost 250,000 residents, is hoping it’s fourth time lucky after failing in 2000, 2002 and 2012.
Marazion, a tourist hotspot on the Cornish Coast (pictured), has only 1,440 inhabitants but is hoping to get city status
There are 70 cities in the UK – 52 in England, six in Wales, seven in Scotland and five in Northern Ireland.
Although a city is not granted any additional rights, it can give a place greater prestige and attract more visitors.
If Marazion is successful and becomes the UK’s smallest city after St Davids in Wales, it will ‘further raise the profile of Marazion, stimulate local businesses and prosper the community in the immediate locality and beyond,’ chair of the town’s Chamber of Commerce Paul Elliott said.
Reading and Boston, for example, can rely on their rich heritage as a competitive advantage.
Before the lengthy list is approved by the Queen, ministers will collaborate with an expert panel.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Steve Barclay said: ‘Today’s announcement is a celebration of the rich and diverse communities which make up not only the United Kingdom, but also our friends further afield in the Falklands, Gibraltar and the Cayman Islands.
‘City status is not only about local pride, it can deliver real levelling up benefits for businesses and the local area which is clear from the high number of applications.’
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Steve Barclay (pictured) said: ‘Today’s announcement is a celebration of the rich and diverse communities which make up not only the United Kingdom, but also our friends further afield in the Falklands, Gibraltar and the Cayman Islands
The previous Royal celebration, the Golden Jubilee 2002 in which Preston and Newport were named cities, was followed by the Millenium Celebrations of two years earlier that saw Brighton and Hove as well as Wolverhampton.
John Boydell, the Chair of the Preston Improvement District, said their city status ‘brought Preston to mind as a place to do business’.
Twelve other cities are eligible to apply for the Lord Provost status or Lord Mayor status, such as Southampton, Sunderland, and Bath.