Thousands cheer on 696th Lord Mayor of London at annual show

Thousands of people gathered in central London for the annual Lord Mayor’s show.

The show dates to the 13th century and is the first official engagement of a new lord mayor of London.

The Lord Mayor serves as the elected head of the City of London Corporation and their terms last one year.

This year the new Lord Mayor is Alderman Alastair King. Riding in the golden state coach, and cheered on by thousands of onlookers, he is the 696th Lord Mayor of London.

The oldest civic procession in the world, the 2024 procession brought together 7,000 people, 250 horses and more than 50 decorated floats.

This year’s procession included the royal regiment of Scotland, the Beano magazine and several livery companies.

The parade began at the Mansion House at 11am and finished outside the Royal Courts of Justice.

Ahead of the event, Mr King said: “The Lord Mayor’s Show is the soul of London – as unique as it is historic – and it will be a privilege to be at the heart of this wonderful event, which connects the traditions of London’s past to the modern-day world.

“As I wave to the crowds from the state coach and soak up the show’s carnival atmosphere, it will certainly feel like a celebration of the Square Mile’s dynamism and many communities.

“I have taken ‘growth unleashed’ as the theme of my mayoral year. I will focus on promoting business, encouraging firms to adopt the new technologies that give us competitive advantage, and to working with the dynamic communities which make London such a vibrant city in which to do business.”