Princess Diana is the only senior member of the Royal Family whom Henry Hayward hasn't met after a triumphant 12 years as the Mayor of St. George's.

Mr. Hayward, 68, is stepping down from all Corporation posts after more than 30 years of service which have seen him rise from councillor to aldermen to mayor over two different spells.

Overseeing the Old Town's elevation to World Heritage Site status was the clear highlight for Mr. Hayward, who intends to spend more time in his role at the helm of Meyer Shipping after stepping down.

He will also be getting out his golf clubs, his sailing gear and taking family holidays with the extra time allowed him now he is stepping aside ahead of today's election which will see former Alderman Ross Smith, Alderman Mariea Caisey and Town Crier E. Michael Jones battle it out for the chains. “I am sad in some ways because I have enjoyed the role so much,” Mr. Hayward told The Royal Gazette.

“But I am relieved in other ways. I'm very busy with company business and so forth. There is so much to do and there will be a lot for me to catch up on now I have more time.

“Of course I will miss the ceremonies and the events, after 30 years you get used to attending all the functions. It was an enjoyable position I held and a job I did with pride.”

Mr. Hayward cites the development of the old Club Med site as one of the priorities for St. George's in the future as well as a better marketing strategy for the city's World Heritage Site status.

“We did a lot of the development work to gain that status during my first term as mayor,” said Mr. Hayward, who served from 1988 to 1997 and again from 2000 to 2003. “And one of the main reasons I stood again in 2000 was to oversee the status be granted, as it was in December that year.

“I think it something very important for St. George's although it has not been marketed properly by Bermuda and the Tourism Department.

“It is a huge marketing point that we have that is not taken advantage of.

“There is also the Club Med site, and something needs to be done about that. We need a facility such as that so people can come and stay up here - it needs to be sorted out as soon as possible.

“Development of that site will also provide jobs for the community, which will bring additional income into St. George's.

Mr. Hayward, who was also an MP for two terms in the 1980s, also wants to see more re-enactments taking place in St. George's as part of the ‘bringing history to life' programmes run in the town.

Despite stepping down, the former mayor still expects to attend some functions, “it will be nice to still be invited to some of the events - although not too many,” he quipped.

“Of course after all this time I will miss it,” he added. “Throughout the year there were events such as the Peppercorn Ceremony and the chance to meet visiting dignitaries. But now it is time to move on.”