The Lady Mayor of the City of London is replacing the traditional pomp and ceremony for her June Ride Out in favour of a mass motorbike run.
As part of her "un-squaring the Square Mile" strategy for the year, Dame Susan Langley is set to don her bike leathers to raise funds for her Lord Mayor’s Appeal.
While traditionally Lord Mayor events have involved horses and gold carriages, Dame Susan said she wanted her Ride Out from Mansion House in June to be different.
“The Lady Mayor's Ride Out is set to be a brilliant spectacle,” she said.
“Many Lord Mayors have done a ride out from the Mansion House before but on horses. As I don't ride horses and my mayoral year is focusing on un-squaring the Square Mile - I decided we'd do it on motorbikes.”
Dame Sue, 62, is only the third female Lord Mayor of the City of London and the first in its almost 800-year history to take the title “Lady Mayor”.
The Eastender has also been bestowed with the title of "lady pearly mayor of the City of London" by the Pearly Kings and Queens Association.
As the 697th Lord Mayor of London, she is the ambassador for Financial and Professional Services in the Square Mile.
But she has said she is not a fan of some of the more “old fashioned” aspects of the job.
When she first took on the role in November, she told the BBC: "I think the words Square Mile... to me square is slightly old fashioned, and it's not and I'm not.
"The City is innovative. So if I had one aim I'd like, over the next year, to un-square the Square Mile."
Dame Susan’s motorcycle ride, sponsored by Triumph Motorbikes, will begin outside St Paul’s Cathedral, before heading to Essex on June 11.
Devron Boulton, General Manager Triumph UK & Ireland, said:, “Triumph is delighted to partner with the Lady Mayor for the inaugural Ride Out and to support her vision for a bold, modern take on a long-standing City tradition.
“This event captures the spirit of innovation, inclusivity and community that defines both London and the motorcycling world. We’re proud to stand alongside The Lord Mayor’s Appeal in helping make a positive impact across the capital.”
