The Lord Mayor’s Show 2026 takes place on Saturday 14 November 2026, leaving Mansion House at 11:00 am in the City of London. The parade is free. It passes the Royal Courts of Justice, where the new Lord Mayor takes the oath, and returns to Mansion House in the afternoon.
Checked on against the official sources cited (lordmayorsshow.london, City of London, St Paul’s Cathedral).
Every year, the City of London holds the parade that installs the new Lord Mayor in office. It has taken place on the second Saturday of November since 1959. It isn’t a show staged for visitors: it’s a civic ceremony that crosses the financial district, with a military band, floats, livery companies, horses and the Lord Mayor’s coach. Here’s what you need to follow it without getting the time or the pavement wrong.
1. The route: from Mansion House to the Royal Courts, then back
The outbound leg, from Mansion House to the Royal Courts
The procession leaves Mansion House at 11:00 am and heads for the Royal Courts of Justice on the Strand, passing St Paul’s Cathedral. The official marker is a pass at St Paul’s around 11:13 am, then arrival at the Royal Courts around 11:26 am (timetable page on the official site).
It’s at the Royal Courts of Justice that the new Lord Mayor takes the oath in front of the Queen’s Bench, during the parade. On the way back, the procession goes up Victoria Embankment and Temple Place, crosses Blackfriars Bridge, then rejoins Mansion House.
What you need to know about the parade
- Between 6,500 and 7,000 participants, depending on the source: around 7,000 according to the City’s official page (2025 and 2026), 6,500 according to its 2026 partnership brochure.
- For 2026, the City announces 70 floats and 20 bands.
- Horses, a military escort and the Lord Mayor’s coach. The number of horses varies from year to year: 200 according to CityMatters (2023), 250 according to the official 2025 leaflet.
The same morning, a small-group London history tour starts at 10:00 am, an hour before the procession leaves. It goes past Covent Garden and ends at Westminster Abbey. Its start overlaps the parade’s departure, so it’s up to you what you want to see first.
2. Indicative times for Saturday 14 November 2026
The timetable page on the official site gives passing points, not a detailed programme. The full programme wasn’t published in the sources we checked on 18 October 2026. The times below are therefore indicative and should be reconfirmed as the day approaches.
All times are London time (GMT: British Summer Time ended on 25 October).
| Marker | Place | Indicative time |
|---|---|---|
| Procession departs | Mansion House | 11:00 am |
| Passing St Paul’s | St Paul’s Cathedral | 11:13 am |
| Arrival at the Royal Courts of Justice (Aldwych) | Royal Courts of Justice | 11:26 am |
| Lord Mayor’s coach at St Paul’s | St Paul’s Cathedral | 12:11 pm |
| Royal Courts, Westminster side (oath) | Royal Courts of Justice | 12:31 pm |
| Return to Temple Place | Temple Place | 1:10 pm |
| Top of Blackfriars Bridge | Blackfriars Bridge | 1:18 pm |
| Return to Mansion House | Mansion House | 1:33 pm |
| Lord Mayor’s return to Mansion House (estimate) | Mansion House | around 2:30 pm |
Source: timetable page on the official site of the Lord Mayor’s Show, checked on 18 October 2026.
A passage lasts about an hour if you stay in the same spot, according to CityMatters (secondary source). The outbound leg takes about 27 minutes between Mansion House and the Royal Courts, based on the 2025 marker. The procession only passes once, so get into position before it arrives.
3. Where to stand: mornings for the atmosphere, afternoons for calm
In the morning, the busiest stretch runs from Bank to St Paul’s. That’s where the atmosphere is strongest, with the bands and floats, but it’s also where spots go early. Arrive between 10:00 and 10:30 am if you want a place at the front.
In the afternoon, the official « Where to go » page recommends the Embankment between Temple and Blackfriars, from 1:15 pm to 2:30 pm (official site, « Where to go » section).
Getting ready for the day: weather, kit and time on site
November in London is cold and often wet, so pack a waterproof.
What to bring
- A waterproof and an umbrella.
- A folding chair, if you want to sit: they’re allowed, but no seats are provided.
- A flask and warm clothes for the long waits between passes.
- The route map, to check on the official site before you set off.
Indoor spots are rarer. Stationers’ Hall runs a family day on 14 November 2026, with tickets from £30 to £55, coffee from 10:15 to 11:00 am, then lunch from 12:30 pm. Check with the company what the ticket includes, especially whether a view of the parade is part of it: we couldn’t confirm that. Also check that it’s open to the public: this point isn’t confirmed. The Apothecaries’ Hall, for its part, hosts a lunch reserved for its members and their guests: it isn’t open to the general public.
4. The Silent Ceremony, the evening before, Friday 13 November
The day before the parade, the City holds the Silent Ceremony at the Guildhall, the ceremony that comes before the procession. According to the City’s official page, it takes place on Friday 13 November 2026, from 2:30 pm to 4:00 pm (official page for the Silent Ceremony, checked on 18 October 2026).
The times don’t match everywhere. An IanVisits article dated 17 July 2026 gives doors at 2:00 pm and the ceremony between 3:00 and 3:20 pm. We go with the City’s version.
Entry is by ballot, according to IanVisits (article of 17 July 2026); the City’s site doesn’t detail how it works. According to IanVisits, applications were in principle closed in September, so without an invitation, plan on not attending. To fill your Friday morning, the Guildhall Art Gallery and its Roman amphitheatre open the same day, from 10:00 am to 3:30 pm, according to the City. On Friday, the main gallery only opens until noon.
5. Who is the 2026-2027 Lord Mayor?
Alderman Bronek Masojada is backed by the Court of Aldermen for 2026-2027, after Alderman Tim Hailes withdrew, a decision notified on 27 September 2026 according to the City, as cited by Insurance Times. The official page presents him as the 698th Lord Mayor (page on the Lord Mayor-elect, checked on 18 October 2026).
His predecessor, Dame Susan Langley, was the 697th Lord Mayor and led the 2025 parade (Irish News, 9 October 2025). The result of the vote on 29 September 2026 wasn’t found in the sources we checked: Alderman Bronek Masojada is backed for 2026-2027, with no formal election confirmed.
6. Places to visit on parade day, and prices
The parade is free, but the day offers several places to fit into your route. The table below gathers the times and prices announced by each place’s official pages for Saturday 14 November 2026.
| Place | Hours on 14 November 2026 | Entry | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Paul’s Cathedral, nave and crypt | 9:30 am to 4:30 pm (last entry 3:30 pm) | No ticket needed | Free |
| St Paul’s Cathedral, dome galleries | 9:30 am to 4:15 pm (last entry) | Paid | Adult £13.50; senior and student £12.00; child £5.25 |
| Guildhall Art Gallery and Roman Amphitheatre | 11:00 am to 5:00 pm | Free, booking recommended | Free |
| Stationers’ Hall, family day | Coffee 10:15 to 11:00 am; lunch from 12:30 pm | Ticket (public access to be checked) | £30 to £55 |
| Apothecaries’ Hall, lunch | Bookings until 5 November, 9:00 am | Members and guests only | £62 adult; £37.50 child (aged 2 to 14) |
| Mansion House, guided tour | By booking; autumn 2026 dates not found | Booking only, no walk-up sales | £9.50; £7.50 concession |
| Parade programme | Sold along the route | Paid | £5 in cash |
Sources: stpauls.co.uk, Lord Mayor’s Show Day 2026, City of London, Guildhall Art Gallery, City of London, Mansion House tours, Stationers’ Hall, Apothecaries’ Hall, checked on 18 October 2026.
St Paul’s Cathedral is the most useful stop of the day. The nave and crypt are open without a ticket from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm, with last entry at 3:30 pm. The dome galleries, on the other hand, are paid. The climb is long: 257 steps to the Whispering Gallery, 376 to the Stone Gallery and 528 to the Golden Gallery. An organ demonstration takes place from 1:30 pm to 2:00 pm.
The Guildhall Art Gallery and its Roman amphitheatre are free and open on Saturdays from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm, with booking recommended, according to the City. On Monday 16 November, the venue is closed.
If you’re in London for Remembrance Sunday, on 8 November 2026, our guide Remembrance Sunday in London covers the best viewing spots. If your stay runs into the festive season, our round-up Christmas in London 2026 features eight experiences.
7. Getting there, getting around and accessibility
Don’t come by car. Much of the City is closed to traffic, and buses are diverted. If you cycle, avoid London Wall, Aldersgate and West Smithfield; Santander Bikes are unreliable that day, according to the official page. The table below sums up the closures listed by the City for Saturday 14 November 2026.
| Item | Indicative situation |
|---|---|
| Car traffic in the City | Closed for most of the day: most streets close around 7:00 am (5:00 am near Bank, midnight for Princes Street) |
| Traffic reopening | Around 4:00 pm (to be reconfirmed: the closures page contains 2025 documents) |
| Blackfriars Bridge | Closed all day; the procession passes through around 1:18 pm |
| Step-free stations | Farringdon and City Thameslink |
| River return | Temple and Blackfriars piers, from around 1:15 pm |
Sources: closures page of the official site and access page, checked on 18 October 2026.
For the Tube, see the question about stations below. Watch out for the Underground lines. In 2023, the City asked for the District, Circle, Hammersmith & City and Jubilee lines to be closed until 3:00 pm on parade day (CityAM and CityMatters). No equivalent notice for 2026 has been found. That precedent isn’t an announcement: check the network status on the Transport for London website the day before and on the morning itself.
Accessibility is well documented. The reserved area for disabled people and their families is free and uncovered, at the junction of Old Bailey and Ludgate Hill, so bring a waterproof. A Blue Badge bay is at the junction of Ludgate Street and Old Bailey, but the type of permit required varies across the documents we checked: confirm it with the City. Accessible toilets are at Blackfriars Bridge, Old Bailey, New Change and Queen Victoria Street. Coaches must display a C pass.
Security relies on the City of London Police and CCTV. According to the official security page, the set-up has no barriers or gates: the streets stay open to the public, but they’re crowded.
8. Where the parade comes from
The charter granted to the City by King John in 1215 ties the role of Lord Mayor to the annual election of the mayor by the City. It’s the strongest historical starting point. No source we checked dates the first procession, so nothing lets us trace the parade back to 1215.
According to Wikipedia, the City’s first mayor, Henry FitzAilwin, is attested between 1189 and 1212. The title « Lord Mayor » has been in use since the 1540s. The procession once went all the way to Westminster: it went by river until 1856, and the route to Westminster lasted until 1882. The current route has been fixed since 1952, and the parade has taken place on the second Saturday of November since 1959.
The figures of Gog and Magog have been part of the parade since the reign of Henry V, according to the official site’s « Gog and Magog » page.
The Lord Mayor’s coach dates from 1757 and is escorted by the Company of Pikemen and Musketeers, from the Honourable Artillery Company. Don’t confuse it with the Gold State Coach, the monarch’s state coach, which is a different vehicle.
What other guides don’t tell you
These six points are based on the official pages cited, unless noted otherwise. They correct or add to what you often read elsewhere.
- There are no paid stands. Several guides mention reserved stand seats. The official page says there are no commercial paid stands on the route. Official site, « Where to go » section (checked on 18 October 2026).
- There was no fireworks display after the parade in 2025. The official 2025 leaflet says so in English: « There will be no fireworks display after the parade ». Barge fireworks stopped from 2018, and no announcement for 2026 has been found. Official 2025 leaflet (checked on 18 October 2026).
- The 1215 charter doesn’t date the parade. The official texts talk about the charter, not a procession on that date. History page on the official site (checked on 18 October 2026).
- The Silent Ceremony on Friday is allocated by ballot. The ceremony runs from 2:30 pm to 4:00 pm at the Guildhall. The ballot is according to IanVisits (article of 17 July 2026); applications were in principle closed in September, and the City’s official page only gives the time. Official Silent Ceremony page (checked on 18 October 2026).
- Access is detailed on the route. The free step-free area at Old Bailey and Ludgate Hill, the accessible toilets and the step-free stations (Farringdon, City Thameslink) are listed by the City. Access page on the official site (checked on 18 October 2026).
- The way back is calmer than the way out. The official page recommends the Embankment between Temple and Blackfriars, from 1:15 pm to 2:30 pm, with the procession passing Mansion House around 1:33 pm. Official site, « Where to go » section (checked on 18 October 2026).
Practical information for your London stay
A data plan to install before you leave, so you’re connected as soon as you land. The price depends on the duration and the data volume.
Cover for the whole stay, useful if a crowd or a cancellation means you lose a ticket. Compare what’s covered against how long you’re going and your profile.
Frequently asked questions about the Lord Mayor’s Show 2026
What time does the Lord Mayor’s Show 2026 start?
The procession leaves Mansion House at 11:00 am London time (GMT) on Saturday 14 November 2026. The official timetable gives markers: passing St Paul’s around 11:13 am, arrival at the Royal Courts of Justice around 11:26 am, and the oath around 12:31 pm on the Westminster side. These times are indicative: the detailed programme wasn’t published on 18 October 2026. The Lord Mayor’s return is estimated around 2:30 pm.
Is the parade free?
Yes. Entry is free for the public along the route. The programme is sold for £5 in cash on the route, and the official page says there are no paid stands, although some guides mention them. The venues along the way do charge: a climb to the galleries of St Paul’s costs £13.50 for an adult, and the Mansion House guided tour costs £9.50.
Do you need to book to watch the parade?
No, not for the procession itself: you just need to stand along the route. Some activities do require booking, though: the guided tours of Mansion House (40 people maximum), the Silent Ceremony on Friday 13 November, allocated by ballot (applications in principle closed in September, according to IanVisits), and the Apothecaries’ Hall lunch, reserved for members and their guests.
Where can you watch the parade without too many people?
In the afternoon. The official page recommends the Embankment between Temple and Blackfriars, from 1:15 pm to 2:30 pm, for a calmer stretch. In the morning, the busiest area runs from Bank to St Paul’s: arrive between 10:00 and 10:30 am if you want a place at the front. With children or someone with reduced mobility, the Embankment is still the most comfortable choice.
Is there a fireworks display in the evening?
Not after the parade in 2025: the official 2025 leaflet says there was no fireworks display after the parade. No announcement for 2026 had been found at our check on 18 October 2026, so its absence is presumed. Barge fireworks on the Thames stopped from 2018.
Which Tube stations should you use?
In the morning, the City recommends Farringdon (Elizabeth line), City Thameslink, St Paul’s and Bank. Farringdon and City Thameslink are step-free. Mansion House, Cannon Street and Blackfriars are less crowded alternatives, according to a secondary source. No TfL notice for 2026 has been found, although in 2023 the City asked for four lines to be closed until 3:00 pm. Check the network status the day before and on the morning itself.
Can you come by car?
No. Much of the City is closed to traffic, buses are diverted and Blackfriars Bridge is closed all day. Most streets close around 7:00 am (5:00 am near Bank), and traffic doesn’t resume until around 4:00 pm, to be reconfirmed on the official closures page. There’s no realistic option for parking in the City that day.
Can you visit St Paul’s Cathedral on parade day?
Yes, from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm on 14 November 2026, according to the cathedral’s website. The nave and crypt are open without a ticket, with last entry at 3:30 pm. The dome galleries are paid: £13.50 for an adult, £12.00 for a senior or student, £5.25 for a child, with last entry at 4:15 pm. The stairs have 257 steps to the first gallery.
Are there accessible toilets along the route?
Yes. The official page lists accessible toilets at Blackfriars Bridge, Old Bailey, New Change and Queen Victoria Street. The reserved area for disabled people and their families is free and uncovered, at the junction of Old Bailey and Ludgate Hill. Bring a waterproof, since it isn’t sheltered. A Changing Places facility is listed near the Barbican in the 2025 leaflet.
Sources
- Lord Mayor’s Show, timetable page: passing markers for 14 November 2026.
- Lord Mayor’s Show, where to go: placement, stands, the Embankment in the afternoon.
- Lord Mayor’s Show, closures: closing and reopening times (2025 documents to be reconfirmed).
- Lord Mayor’s Show, access: accessibility, step-free access, toilets.
- Lord Mayor’s Show, safety and security: security set-up, no barriers.
- Lord Mayor’s Show, history: the 1215 charter, the route to Westminster, Gog and Magog.
- Lord Mayor’s Show, Lord Mayor-elect: Alderman Bronek Masojada, 698th Lord Mayor.
- City of London, The Silent Ceremony: Friday 13 November 2026, 2:30 pm to 4:00 pm.
- IanVisits, Silent Ceremony: ballot and applications (article of 17 July 2026).
- St Paul’s, Lord Mayor’s Show Day 2026: hours, gallery prices, organ demonstration.
- City of London, Mansion House tours: prices and booking conditions.
- Wikipedia, article « Lord Mayor’s Show »: secondary source for the history of the route and the date of the parade.
Sources checked on 18 October 2026.
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