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Tony Appleton

b. 1936

British town crier

Town crierToastmaster
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About Tony Appleton

Born 1936. Tony Appleton is a British town crier and toastmaster.

Career as a crier Appleton later trained as a toastmaster and has opened events in Milan, Amsterdam, and Las Vegas. Appleton recalls being told by a young child at a fete opening that "he looked like a town crier", and having "never looked back" since then. In the early 2000s, Appleton became the official town crier of Romford in Essex. Appleton later had unofficial crier duties at the 2011 wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, the 2012 Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, and the 2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony.

In May 2015, Appleton announced the birth of Princess Charlotte, Prince George's sister, from the same place as he had announced Prince George's birth. In an interview with Us Weekly, Appleton stated that in contrast to his earlier announcement, the royal entourage was expecting his attendance outside the hospital. Later in that year, Appleton announced from the gates of Buckingham Palace that Elizabeth II had surpassed her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria as the longest-reigning monarch of Britain. In November 2017, Appleton – again in an unofficial capacity – announced the engagement of Prince Harry and American actress Meghan Markle from the gates of Kensington Palace in London.

Appleton returned to public attention in April 2018, when he announced the birth of Prince Louis of Cambridge from the steps of St Mary's Hospital.

The Independent journalist Jon Stone compared Appleton's unofficial role to the presence of bishops in the House of Lords and the inability of Members of Parliaments to officially resign their seats in the House of Commons, whereas Huffington Post UK journalist Jess Brammar compared Appleton to the role of Black Rod and the corresponding spectacle relating to Black Rod's invitation to MPs to the annual Speech from the Throne.

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Important facts

Born
1936, Chelmsford
Birth century
Occupation
Town crier, toastmaster

People in Tony Appleton's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Tony Appleton's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Tony Appleton?

British town crier

When was Tony Appleton born?

Tony Appleton was born in 1936 in Chelmsford.

What is Tony Appleton's occupation?

Tony Appleton is a town crier and toastmaster.

What nationality is Tony Appleton?

Tony Appleton is British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Tony Appleton

· Wikidata: Q52152894

· DBpedia: Tony Appleton

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Tony Appleton. https://biography.guide/tony-appleton/

MLA: "Tony Appleton." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/tony-appleton/.

Chicago: "Tony Appleton." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/tony-appleton/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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