In the shadow of the Bank of England, in the beating heart of the City of London, workers are jet-washing a statue of the Duke of Wellington. Mobilised after the death of the Queen Elizabeth II, they are readying the commercial hub known as the Square Mile to stage an event unprecedented in the lives of all but the most senior City veterans.
In less than 24 hours, at the Royal Exchange, Charles III will be publicly proclaimed the new sovereign of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It will be the second proclamation ceremony of the day. The accession must first be confirmed at St James’s Palace, before heralds travel east to notify the City of London of its new monarch.
