Gibraltar marked Overseas Territories Day with the United Kingdom’s other 13 Overseas Territories at events held in the Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey.  

The annual observance, held on the first Monday in June, celebrates the constitutional bonds between the United Kingdom and its Overseas Territories, and recognises the strategic, cultural and environmental contributions the Territories make to the wider British family.  

A reception was hosted in the State Rooms of Speaker’s House, House of Commons, by Mr Speaker. Addressing guests from across the Territories, the Rt Hon Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP described himself as a close friend of the Overseas Territories, telling the gathering: “They are a part of us.” His support for the Territories was warmly acknowledged by the President of the UK Overseas Territories Association (UKOTA), the Hon. E. David Burt, Premier of Bermuda, who said Mr Speaker’s personal commitment had “undoubtedly made a difference.”

Minister for Europe, North America and Overseas Territories Stephen Doughty MP reiterated the UK Government’s commitment to the principle of “nothing about you, without you” in its engagement with the Territories, and celebrated the fact that the Territories support one another. The UK Opposition’s James Cleverly MP underlined that he always speaks of “the British family” - and that the Overseas Territories are an integral part of it.

The day also featured an Evensong service at Westminster Abbey, attended by Minister Doughty, Premier Burt and representatives of the Territories. The Gibraltar Representative to the United Kingdom, Jonathan Scott, attended the service and also the events at the Palace of Westminster on behalf of HM Government of Gibraltar, together with the Executive Director of Gibraltar House, Ty Duarte.

A notable feature of this year’s events was the presentation by UKOTA to Mr Speaker of a commemorative wreath, crafted by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, incorporating native flora from each of the Territories. Gibraltar was represented in the wreath by two species indigenous to the Rock: the strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) and the dwarf fan palm (Chamaerops humilis), both characteristic of Gibraltar’s distinctive Mediterranean landscape.

The Deputy Chief Minister, the Hon. Dr Joseph Garcia CMG MP, said: “Overseas Territories Day is an opportunity for Gibraltar to stand alongside its fellow Territories in celebrating our shared values, our distinct identities, and the enduring partnership we hold with the United Kingdom. The strawberry tree and the dwarf fan palm, both native to our Rock, are a reminder that Gibraltar’s character is as rooted in its natural environment as it is in its constitution and its people. We are proud to be part of this family, and grateful for the strong support shown by Mr Speaker, Ministers and Members on both sides of the House.”