Swearing Loyalty

We probably all know the British are very big on tradition. One of the most interesting and unusual is the annual visit the Lord Mayor of London pays on the queen in order to renew his loyalty. The tradition goes back nearly 800 years; quoting from a modern source: "The loyalty of the Lord Mayor might be less questionable now than it was in 1215, but the newly elected Mayor must still make his way to the Royal Courts of Justice to pledge allegiance to the Crown, just as Dick Whittington did in 1397 (and again in 1406 and 1419)."

The tradition is still alive in 2004 and, as the British are so good at doing, has been turned into a combination cermony and spectacle. Only today, the Lord Mayor-elect is preceded by a lengthy procession (parade?) of about 200 floats, bands, equestrian units, etc. The parade leaves the Mayor's London mansion and proceeds for about 90 minutes to the Royal Courts of Justice. While the Mayor goes in to swear loyalty to the Queen (and to have lunch with her and other VIPs) the procession members are treated to a lunch of their own -- no doubt less formal and less grand. Then, after lunch, the parade (I mean procession) re-forms and returns back to the Mayor's mansion.

Today large crowds gather along the route (which is slightly different on the return) and it is a fun "day out" for all. See some of the parade at: http://chuck.smugmug.com/gallery/292916/1/11628266