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King Charles pays tribute to Queen Elizabeth II on first anniversary of her death

A previously unreleased portrait of the late monarch has also been shared.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 8th September 2023

King Charles III has thanked the public for their continued “love and support” in a tribute paid to his late mother on the first anniversary of her death.

It’s exactly year to the day since Queen Elizabeth II died aged 96 on 8 September 2022.

A year on from a day that’s now forever etched into the memory of the world, and a day that’s firmly in the history books – with a 10-day period of mourning observed nationwide in the wake, a televised State Funeral watched live by a record-breaking 37 million people in the UK alone, and a lasting archive of local tributes having been created here in Manchester.

During her reign, the late monarch served as Queen of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth – undertaking an important symbolic and unifying role as a head of state, spanning numerous geographical regions, cultures, and religions. 

She was both the longest-reigning British monarch in history, and also the first-ever monarch to reign in the UK for 70 years.

She was admired and continues to be remembered for her duty and dedication to the role.

And now, with a year having passed since her death, her eldest son – and, of course, now the current reigning British monarch – King Charles III has paid a touching tribute in memory.

The King’s tribute message reads in full: “In marking the first anniversary of Her late Majesty’s death and my Accession, we recall with great affection her long life, devoted service, and all she meant to so many of us.

“I am deeply grateful, too, for the love and support that has been shown to my wife and myself during this year.

“We do our utmost to be of service to you all.”

As well as the King’s tribute message, the Royal Family has also shared a previously-unreleased portrait of Queen Elizabeth II with the public.

The image of Her late Majesty was taken at Buckingham Palace all the way back on 16 October 1968 as part of an official sitting granted to photographer Cecil Beaton (1904-80), and has been chosen by the King himself to share on the anniversary.

A previously unreleased portrait of Queen Elizabeth II taken by Cecil Beaton / Credit: The Royal Family

The image was first shown at the National Portrait Gallery between November 1968 and March 1969 as part of its first photographic exhibition ‘Beaton Portraits 1928-68’ – which was also the first retrospective of the work of a living photographer in a British national museum, according to the Royal Family.

Cecil Beaton first photographed Queen Elizabeth II in 1942.

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He photographed the late monarch and many other members of the Royal Family across the decades, but the 1968 sitting was their last together.

Featured Image – The Royal Family (via Twitter)

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All military personnel can travel for FREE on Manchester’s public transport this weekend

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant A Metrolink tram in Manchester city centre

All military personnel will be allowed to travel for free across Greater Manchester’s public transport system this weekend.

In case you hadn’t heard, this Saturday 28 June is Armed Forces Day.

Armed Forces Day sees Brits celebrate those who are currently serving troops, their families, serving reservists, veterans, and cadets, and Manchester will also be paying tribute to the hundreds who have ‘fearlessly served’ with day of commemorations in the city centre on Saturday.

Mancunians are expected to line the streets as a parade made up of armed forces personnel, veterans, and cadets will begin a procession that will proudly march through the centre of Manchester, starting in St Peter’s Square at 11:30am. 

You can also expect an afternoon of live performances by the lively Lancashire Army Artillery Band, alongside music hosted by BBC Radio DJ, Michelle Dignan, up until 4pm. 

Historic military displays, and stalls from organisations including the NHS, Royal British Legion, and Manchester City Council’s own Armed Forces Covenant, will also be in attendance, as well giving visitors the chance to explore an engaging display of military vehicles, uniforms, artefacts, and personal stories that span the rich legacy of the British armed forces inside a pop-up Military Museum tent.

This year’s Armed Forces Day is also particularly-special because it marks the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE Day) which happened on 8 May, and the upcoming Victory over Japan (VJ Day) on 15 August.

All military personnel can travel for free on Manchester’s public transport this weekend / Credit: GMP | Bee Network

And so, in order to honour what an important weekend it is for hundreds in our region, the Bee Network has announced that all military personnel will be allowed to travel for free.

Free travel will be permitted on all Bee Network bus and tram services on both Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 June for any members of the Regular and Reserve Services carrying their MOD90 card, veterans who carry their Veterans’ badge or Veterans’ rail card, and cadets travelling in uniform.

“The Armed Forces community makes an invaluable contribution to our society, and we’re showing our appreciation with free travel on Bee Network buses and trams across Greater Manchester this weekend,” commented Danny Vaughan, who is the Chief Network Officer at Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM).

The free travel is part of TfGM’s commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant – a promise from the nation that those who serve or have served, and their families, are treated fairly.

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“It’s a special weekend and one we’re proud to get behind,” Danny concluded.

Featured Image – Janus Boye

News

Stockport paedophile jailed after ‘grooming, exploiting, and coercing’ teenage girls in early 2000s

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Christopher Oates

A prolific paedophile has been sentenced after admitting to ‘grooming, exploiting, and coercing’ teenage girls in the early 2000s.

Christopher Oates, from Stockport, has been brought to justice this week after he subjected vulnerable girls to what Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has referred to as a ‘campaign’ of violence and sexual abuse 20 years ago.

The court heard how the 45-year-old groomed one of the survivors from when she was just 14 years old, by providing her with a false sense of security, paying her compliments, and pretending to be her boyfriend, all before he proceeded to ply her with drugs, gifts, and affection, and using the trust and control he gained to persuade her to start sex work on the streets of Manchester.

When the teenage victim began to doubt his intentions and asked to go home, Oates dragged her down an alleyway, violently attacked her, and threatened her with a gun, stating: ‘You do as I say, you’re mine now,’ commanding her to go to her ‘spot’.

It was this incident that prompted the teenager to confide in her mother and support services, and from here, found the strength to move forward with her life, while still courageously supporting the police investigation.

From this investigation, detectives were then able to identify a second teenage victim, a 17-year-old, who Oates also coerced into sex work.

The two victims recall Oates taking them to a designated spot in central Manchester at least once a week to carry out sex acts in cars for money.

Oates would supply both victims with cocaine and alcohol, and even pressured them to take crack cocaine and heroin, aiming to build an addiction and increase their dependency on him.

In April 2024, Oates pleaded guilty to two counts of making indecent images of children, taking indecent images of children, and attempting to engage a child in sexual communication, as well as pleading to the production of cannabis and two counts of possessing an identity document with improper intent.

After being remanded into custody, on 5 September 2024, Oates was postal charged with possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, three counts of engaging in penetrative sexual activity with a girl aged 13-15 years old, and two counts causing / inciting a child aged 13-17 years to prostitution.

A paedophile from Stockport has been jailed after ‘grooming, exploiting, and coercing’ teenage girls in the early 2000s / Credit: GMP

In March earlier this year on the fourth day of his trial, Oates admitted to the offences, and this week (25 June 2025), he was sentenced to 13 years in prison for all his crimes.

“I would like to commend the two women at the centre of this case for the strength they demonstrated throughout our investigation and subsequent legal proceedings,” commented Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Inspector Eleanor Humphreys, from GMP’s CSE Major Investigations Team, as Oates was sentenced this week.

“It has been an arduous process for them to relieve the horrific abuse, and I am so grateful they placed their trust and confidence in our team to pursue justice.

“Their resilience and determination were the driving force behind reaching today’s outcome, where a dangerous man begins serving a lengthy sentence behind bars, far away from causing any more harm or misery.

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“Despite Oates’s cowardly attempts to evade facing justice, the evidence we uncovered was overwhelming, and his crimes finally caught up with him.

“I hope this brings these survivors a sense of closure after all these years.”

Featured Image – GMP

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