City on parade for first ever Lady Mayor's Show

"PA Media For the first time in its nearly 700 year history, the Lord Mayor's Show this year became the Lady Mayor's Show. Dame Susan Langley DBE is not the City of London's first female lord mayor - she's the third in 697 years - but she is the first to take the lady mayor title. The show is a procession from the City to Westminster and dates back to the early 13th Century."

"In 1215 King John granted that the City of London could appoint its own mayor, but required that each newly-elected mayor should travel upriver to Westminster and pledge his loyalty to the King. The mayors have made that journey for over 800 years and the show grew over the centuries into an elaborate parade. Today it is an opportunity for livery companies, charities, businesses and armed forces units in the City to parade though the streets of London."

"The Lord or Lady Mayor of London is a largely ceremonial position, whose jurisdiction only extends to the square mile of the City of London, and a new incumbent is chosen each year. It differs to the office of mayor of London that was created in 2000 where an elected politician serves a four-year term of office. This role is currently held by Sir Sadiq Khan."

The Lord Mayor's Show became the Lady Mayor's Show when Dame Susan Langley took the lady mayor title. Dame Susan Langley DBE is the City of London's third female lord mayor in 697 years and the first to adopt the lady mayor styling. The procession from the City to Westminster dates to the early 13th century after King John granted the City the right to appoint its own mayor and required newly elected mayors to travel upriver to pledge loyalty. Mayors have made that journey for over 800 years and the event evolved into an elaborate parade featuring livery companies, charities, businesses and armed forces units. The Lord or Lady Mayor is a largely ceremonial office limited to the City's square mile and is chosen annually, while the Mayor of London is an elected four-year office overseeing a budget of more than £20bn.

Read at www.bbc.com