Age-old parade enjoys historic twist on streets of London

The City of London's annual pageant the Lord Mayor's Show was officially styled the Lady Mayor's Show for the first time in its more than 800-year history on Saturday in the capital city of the United Kingdom.

The event marked the inauguration of Dame Susan Langley DBE as the 697th Lord Mayor of London, and notably, the first to bear the title Lady Mayor. Langley is the third woman ever to hold the post, whose jurisdiction covers the ancient City of London, rather than the modern metropolis, and has a one-year term of office, but the two previous female mayors did not change the position's formal title.

With over 800 years of history, the City of London is home to many of the capital's financial institutions, which has led to the term "the city" being used to describe all things related to banking and business in London. Representatives and companies based in the city also took part in this year's procession, including leading firms from the finance, insurance, and professional services sectors.

The procession began at 11 am in central London, featuring more than 7,000 participants from 100 organizations, along with 250 horses and 50 floats in a parade stretching nearly five kilometers. The Lady Mayor travelled in the State Coach from Mansion House and proceeded via Cheapside and St Paul's Cathedral to the Royal Courts of Justice.