Your Royal Highness, My Lords Bishops, My Lords and Ladies, Distinguished Guests.

Throughout all eras in history Gibraltar has attracted a certain fascination, and enjoyed a military, commercial and political importance greatly beyond what its size would suggest or require. But it is not difficult to understand why, for Gibraltar stand imposingly, as one of the planet’s most recognisable natural features, commanding the entrance and exit of the Mediterranean Sea.

During the last 300 years Gibraltar and the United Kingdom have enjoyed a marvellous relationship based on mutual benefit, regard and affinity. And it is to celebrate and commemorate the Tercentenary of that relationship, and to rededicate ourselves to its enduring future, that we gather here today.

From the very day that it was taken in 1704 by Admiral Rooke during the War of the Spanish Succession, and subsequently ceded to Britain in perpetuity by Treaty in 1713, British Sovereignty of Gibraltar has brought great military and commercial advantage to Great Britain, as well as great benefits to the people of Gibraltar.

The history of the relationship between Gibraltar and the armed services is legendary. It is reflected by the presence here today of the most senior representatives of each of these services. Gibraltar has been a strategic military base for centuries. Its defence during the various intensive and lengthy seiges to which it was laid in the 18^th Century required great heroism, skill and sacrifice of life by British soldiers, sailors and marines.

It is no coincidence that, to this day, the Royal Marines cite just one battle honour on their colours, the single word "Gibraltar". Nor is it a coincidence that the Royal Engineers were born in Gibraltar. For the Royal Navy, for the army and (more recently) for the Royal Airforce, Gibraltar has been a "home from home" base for centuries, resulting in the building of the famous dockyards and airfield, and miles upon miles of ramparts, bastions and tunnels, all of which now form such an important part of our heritage.

Indeed, throughout history, Gibraltar has played an important part in almost all British military endeavours in the Western hemisphere. For example, it was the only territory in continental Europe that remained in Allied hands throughout World War 2, making possible the relief of Malta, the allied landings in North Africa and many other vital operations. It remains to this day an important, strategic military asset for British defence and other interests.

Thus Gibraltar earned over these three centuries the reputation as one of the world’s impregnable fortresses, spawning phrases such as "strong" or "safe" as the Rock of Gibraltar.

The Rock’s status as an important military base and fortress is also the origin of its distinct, vibrant and determined civilian population – the people of Gibraltar. Right from the start in 1704, camp followers, tradesmen, labourers and merchants, as well as other colonial settlers, descended on Gibraltar from all over the Mediterranean basis and from the UK, initially to service the needs of the Garrison, but later also to benefit from the commercial and social opportunities that Gibraltar offered. In this respect the development of Gibraltar has been similar to so many other ex-Colonies.

The 18^th Century, with its various bombardments and seiges, and the 19^th Century, with its predominantly military fortress governance, were not easy years for the ever growing civilian population. But they prepared the Gibraltarians for the qualities as a people that we would need in the 20^th Century.

During World War 2 the entire population of women, children and elderly were evacuated and scattered to various places around the globe. This dislocation resulted in much hardship and suffering. The effort to secure their repatriation after the war, which took 10 years to complete, lay at the root of the founding of Gibraltar’s first political party.

In 1969 the frontier between Gibraltar and Spain was closed overnight and all land, sea and telephone links were cut. The people of Gibraltar were forced to live confined to our 4 ½ square miles until the frontier re-opened in 1982.

But both these events and experiences were instrumental in reinforcing the sense of identity and unity today of the Gibraltarian people and our resoluteness in the face of adversity which characterise the people of Gibraltar today. We are a resilient, close-knit, family orientated community. The diversity of our origins over the centuries has also made Gibraltar a hugely warm, welcoming and hospitable community, where people of different ethnic origins and religions live side by side in genuine peace and harmony – something which larger countries could learn from Gibraltar to their advantage.

The 20^th Century also saw the democratic emancipation of the people of Gibraltar progressing gradually from military rule to our current position of almost total self government through out own elected legislature and government and public administration, judiciary and other institutions.

These too are fruits of our 300 year relationship with Britain that we celebrate today: our values and traditions; our institutions; our system of government and democracy; our system of justice and policing; our systems of public administration and education.

All of these, together with our common history (both military and civilian) constitute our heritage and we cherish them greatly. They are our common history and heritage, for Gibraltar is as much a part of Britain’s history and heritage as Britain is of ours.

And so it should surprise no-one that, with this rich and valued shared heritage, stretching back 300 years, the people of Gibraltar should value and wish to retain our links with Britain and exclusive British Sovereignty.

And so, as we stand today at the beginning of the 21^st Century, this is the Gibraltar of the 21^st Century: - Self governing, politically vibrant and intensively democratic, modern, prosperous, economically self sufficient….and British. We would wish to respect our neighbour Spain. But that respect must be mutual. We seek their friendship and respect for us. But Gibraltarian wish to remain part of the Great British family, and that has to be respected by everyone in democratic Europe of the 21^st Century.

And so, in this Tercentenary Year of British Gibraltar we in Gibraltar and our many friends in this country commemorate and give thanks to all those who with their efforts and sacrifices in the past have made possible what we have today. We also celebrate 300 years of Gibraltar’s membership of the Great British family, and we rededicate ourselves to a Gibraltar that will continue to play its part as a successful and loyal part of the Great British family indefinitely into the future. Such is the wish of the Gibraltarians, freely and democratically expressed in accordance with our right to self determination.