At the lord mayor’s show

Pomp and pageantry do not feature in Obiter’s quotidian existence. So when an invitation landed for the City of London lord mayor’s annual judges’ dinner (dress code: white tie with decorations) we accepted with alacrity.

Among the dresses and tails, Obiter noted a tiara or two in the Egyptian Hall of Mansion House. From the general buzz about the place, it seemed the conversations were as stimulating as the food – beef bordelaise, with risotto as a vegan option.

The music, provided by the Salon Orchestra of the Honourable Artillery Company Band, added to our sense of what was probably imposter syndrome. Bugles, the national anthem and speeches from luminaries including the lady chief justice, who reminisced about her father’s childhood spent kicking a ball around the very hall we were sitting in, added to the gloss and glitter.

The judges’ dinner has been held in some form or another since 1568, apparently. Next time – if there is a next time, after a bit of plain speaking on the press table – we’ll be surfing eBay for an affordable tiara.