‘The Queen cared about Manchester’s LGBT community’ says first openly gay Lord Mayor Carl Austin-Behan

Manchester’s first openly gay Lord Mayor says the Queen ‘cared’ about the LGBT community as he recalls her last visit to the city in the summer of 2021.

Carl Austin-Behan, who was made Lord Mayor in 2016, shared his ‘beautiful’ memories of meeting Queen Elizabeth II, who died yesterday (September 8).

The community activist who in the 1990s was forced out of the RAF for being gay said the Queen took an interest in his story and the charities he supports.

The ex-councillor also revealed that Buckingham Palace called him to request that an LGBT choir perform during her visit to Manchester Cathedral last year.

Serving as Andy Burnham’s LGBT advisor at the time, he laughed with the Queen after she remarked on how young he looked for a former Lord Mayor.

He told her about LGBT charities in Greater Manchester and said she was particularly interested in the LGBT+ military charity Fighting With Pride.

Speaking on BBC Radio Manchester this morning (September 9), he said the Queen was ‘very knowledgeable’ about the city-region’s LGBT community.

They spoke about changes over the last two decades, from him being kicked out of the air force, to equal marriage and same-sex couples having children.

He said: “It was such a bizarre and unique moment.

“When she walked over she was like your grandma coming to you.

“You just wanted to give her a hug.”

Speaking later to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the former Greater Manchester Deputy Lieutenant said the Queen ‘cared’ about the community.

He believes the reason for the request for an LGBT choir to perform was because the Queen knew how big the community in Greater Manchester is.

He said: “I think it sent out a message because it was at a Cathedral, at a place of worship, bringing communities together.”

Mr Austin-Behan, who was recently awarded an OBE for his services to charity,  LGBTQ+ equality and the community in Greater Manchester, said he passed on the Palace’s request to the Manchester Lesbian and Gay Chorus.

Dan McDwyer, director of the recently renamed Manchester Proud Chorus, says the request ‘made sense’ because the city has a rich LGBT community.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, he said that the choir performed six songs for the Queen including a medley of Queen, the band.

However, before the Queen’s visit in July 2021, the choir had not performed since the pandemic, having only rehearsed via Zoom video calls in that time.

To make matters worse, the choir was not allowed to perform inside the Cathedral due to Covid restrictions and was limited to only 16 singers.

But the choir’s conductor said he and the Queen saw the funny side of it.

He said: “Her majesty actually came to speak to me and we were laughing about it.

“She was saying how lovely the choir was.”

The Queen visited Manchester Cathedral on July 8, 2021 after meeting members of the Coronation Street cast on the set in MediaCity, Salford.

She also met representatives from organisations across the North West.