For the first time in its storied history spanning over eight centuries, the iconic Lord Mayor’s Show in the City of London will be renamed the Lady Mayor’s Show.

Dame Susan Langley DBE, though not the inaugural female lord mayor, is the pioneering figure to adopt the title of lady mayor.

At 62 years old, Dame Susan, who hails from the East End of London, has been chosen as the 697th Lord Mayor, taking over from Alderman Alastair King.

She marks the third woman to hold the mayoral position but is the first to advocate for the event’s name change to the Lady Mayor’s Show.

Dating back to the 1200s, this historic procession is one of the oldest civic parades, featuring participation from over 125 organizations and drawing thousands of spectators along its three-mile route.

In an interview with the BBC, she remarked, “This role is steeped in tradition, with its origins in 1189, and tradition is wonderful. However, there is also a need for gentle evolution.”

‘There have been two previous female lord mayors, out of 696, and I will be the 697th.

‘But I will be the first to take the name ‘lady mayor’ and to be honest it never occurred to me to be anything else. I’m not a lord, I’m a lady, that’s just who I am.’

Although she is not the first female lord mayor, Dame Susan Langley DBE is the first to take the lady mayor title

Dame Susan, the first Lady Mayor of the City of London, waves from the State Coach

Coachmen getting ready prior to the The Lady Mayor’s Show

The annual show goes back to 1215, when King John, having allowed the City of London to appoint its own mayor in the forlorn hope of garnering support for his troubled reign, decreed that each new holder of the position should travel to Westminster and swear an oath of loyalty. 

Dame Susan will don the traditional red robes and black feathered hat before boarding the golden state carriage first used in 1757 for the procession from Mansion House, the Lord Mayor’s official residence, to the Royal Courts of Justice in the Strand. 

The procession will start from Mansion House at 11am and will go to the Royal Courts, St Paul’s Cathedral, Temple before returning to Mansion House at 2.40pm with more than 350,000 people expected to line the streets. 

Dame Susan was born in Whitechapel and grew up in West Ham and Hornchurch, attending school locally before going on to a successful career in business and civic leadership.

She was elected to represent Aldgate Ward on the Court of Aldermen, a committee which forms part of the City of London Corporation, in 2018 and then served as Sheriff of the City of London for 2023/24. 

Dame Susan is sworn in as the 697th Lord Mayor of London, succeeding Alderman Alastair King, during the Silent Ceremony, held yesterday in the Great Hall of the Guildhall in the City of London

 Dame Susan was born in Whitechapel and grew up in West Ham and Hornchurch, attending school locally before going on to a successful career in business and civic leadership

Dame Susan said: ‘I’m deeply honoured to have been elected to this office, and to be leading the first ever Lady Mayor’s Show.

‘To see so many people join the parade is an extraordinary moment, one that celebrates the City’s long-standing traditions and puts the spotlight on so many of the good causes that we support for the benefit of the City and the UK.

‘To be part of this historic procession, riding through the streets of the Square Mile in the State Coach, and to enjoy the Show’s amazing atmosphere with everyone else, will be really unforgettable!

‘During my mayoralty, I will work to strengthen London’s global leadership, support business growth, and ensure that the City continues to make a positive social impact, while, I hope, demonstrating to the next generation that the City is a great place to live and work in.’