Lord Mayor’s Show 2026: Best pictures as historic parade takes over London’s Square Mile

Thousands of spectators have descended on the City of London for this year’s Lord Mayor’s Show.

A procession of brightly-coloured floats and performers are lighting up the Square Mile for the historic event.

The 800-year tradition kicked off with the 698th Lord Mayor of London, Alderman Bronek Masojada, climbing into a golden coach to make his way through the City to Westminster to pledge his loyalty to the crown.

The new Lord Mayor represents the Billingsgate ward, and took office this week in the Silent Ceremony.

Here is everything you need to know about the annual spectacle.

Lord Mayor’s Show - where and when is it?

The show takes place inside the City of London, the most historic part of the capital also known as the Square Mile.

It has its own Lord Mayor, who is separate from the Mayor of London, and who holds a ceremonial and ambassadorial role to promote the UK’s financial and professional services to the world.

On Saturday, the show started at 11am from Mansion House and was proceeding through a set route around the Square Mile.

It is free to spectate and you don’t need a ticket to get into the City.

Lord Mayor’s Show route map

The Lord Mayor's Show route map shows where the 2.8-mile procession will go

Lord Mayor's Show

Most visitors were expected to use public transport to get as close to the City as possible, before making the rest of the journey on foot.

Cars, vans, lorries, e-bikes, pedal bicycles and scooters are banned from the processional route and may be towed away if parked there.

Buses are on diversion too. Visitors are recommended to take the Elizabeth Line to Farringdon and leave through the Moorgate exit to get as close as possible to the City boundaries.

History of the Lord Mayor’s Show

The Lord Mayor’s Show has been going for more than 800 years, tracing its origins back to the early 13th century.

It was then that King John allowed the City of London to elect its own mayor - with the proviso that each new appointee would have to travel upriver to Westminster to pledge their loyalty.

Since then, a new Lord Mayor has been elected every autumn by the City's livery companies and aldermen for a year’s term.

Female mayors are styled ‘Lady Mayor’ and carry out the same duties.

Lord Mayor’s Show road closures

The area in yellow is off limit to vehicles for most of the day

Lord Mayor's Show

A number of routes into and around the Square Mile are closed on Saturday.

Princes Street closed at midnight, with Bank junction shut from 5am.

All other key roads used in the processional route shut down at 7am with no access to bikes and vehicles, with the exception of emergency services.

Most will reopen between 4-5pm, with Princes Road and Bank Junction the last to reopen between 5pm and 6.30pm.