Pride in London – live: Huge crowds turn out for LGBT+ celebration with march through capital
This year’s theme is ‘Never March Alone’ in support of trans and non-binary allyship
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Your support makes all the difference.Huge crowds turned out for Pride in London with thousands taking part in a colourful parade through the capital.
The 2023 theme is ‘Never March Alone’ in support of trans and non-binary allyship and about 600 LGBT+ groups will attend.
It marks 51 years since the first march for LGBT+ rights in the capital, in 1972.
This year, the parade began at 12pm and ran from Hyde Park Corner, through Piccadilly Circus, down Haymarket and along Pall Mall to Trafalgar Square, culminating at Whitehall Place. Crowds were invited to watch from any of the designated public spaces along the route.
This year, The Independent is proud to be the exclusive media partner of Pride in London and will be taking part in the parade, which is led by mayor Sadiq Khan.
Rita Ora and Adam Lambert will be among those performing at the main stage on Trafalgar Square.
A detailed map of the parade route and key locations can be found here.
The Prince of Wales felt ‘underdressed’ as he marks end of Pride Month
The Prince of Wales joked that he felt underdressed without sequins or glitter as he marked the end of Pride Month by discussing mental health in an LGBT+ venue.
William spoke of the importance of “mental fitness” in a short YouTube film in the Royal Vauxhall Tavern in south-east London.
The film sees the heir to the throne in conversation with volunteers from The Mix and Shout discussing mental health and support in the LGBT+ community.
The Mix and Shout are both charity partners of the Heads Together campaign which was founded by The Royal Foundation.
Both charities offer free confidential support for young people who are struggling and feel alone.
William chats to 20-year-old Michael Lister, chair of The Mix youth advisory board, Sharvari Patil, a 20-year-old student and volunteer at The Mix, and Alexis Caught, a Shout volunteer who is also an author and podcast host specialising in mental health and wellness in the queer community.
Speaking near the beginning of the film, William joked: “I feel very underdressed today in the Royal Vauxhall Tavern. I should have come with some sequins or some glitter. Maybe next time I’ll bring it.”
The prince talks to the trio about their own mental health journeys in the LGBT+ community.
They discuss the importance of ensuring people look after their “mental fitness” and why checking in on others and supporting those in your community is vital.
William commented on the importance of having an open conversation and how emotions can prove more difficult for men.
“I think guys particularly find emotions quite difficult, don’t quite know how to deal with them – strong emotions, no emotions, whatever it might be, they kind of find it quite hard.
“And I think that’s why we’ve got to get better at having an open conversation about these things,” he said.
William thanked Michael, Sharvari and Alexis for their insights and told them it will mean “an awful lot to everyone” to hear from them.
Gok Wan says Pride offers ‘chance for us to join hands and fight for equality’
Gok Wan said he hopes that Pride offers the chance for “us to join hands with our allies and fight for the remaining work that needs to be done for equality”.
Ahead of Saturday’s march, the fashion consultant and TV presenter said: “Pride is as important as when it first started because there are still injustices and lack of equalities around the world which need to be fought for.”
He added that Pride allows “our wonderful community to come together and be seen”.
“It’s a time for us to join hands with our allies and fight for the remaining work that needs to be done for equality,” he said.
“It’s one hell of a party, but it’s also an opportunity for us to show our international friends that we stand with them and continue the fight for change.”
Wan is also set to DJ at Manchester Pride in August, which he said “holds a special place in my heart”.
“I love all Pride events for their solidarity, unity, and of course visibility, and Manchester holds a special place in my heart as it was one of my first pride events that I DJ’d at many years ago,” Wan said.
Just Stop Oil threatens to disrupt London Pride over ‘high-polluting’ sponsors
Just Stop Oil has threatened to disrupt London’s Pride march if the parade does not stop accepting sponsorship money from “high-polluting industries”.
In a statement, LGBT+ members of the group also called on organisers to ban floats from those organisations in the parade – and condemn new oil, gas and coal.
“These partnerships embarrass the LGBTQ+ community at a time when much of the cultural world is rejecting ties to these toxic industries,” they said.
LGBT+ people are “suffering first” in the “accelerating social breakdown” caused by climate change, they added.
“Pride was born from protest,” the statement continued.
“It speaks to how far we’ve come as a community that high-polluting industries and the banks that fund them now see Pride as a useful vehicle for sanitising their reputations, waving rainbow flags in one hand whilst accelerating social collapse with the other.”
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Hoax device wrapped in Pride flag found in Northern Ireland
Police in Northern Ireland say they are treating a hoax device as a hate crime after it was left wrapped in a Pride flag.
The device was left at the home of an Alliance Party councillor in Co Antrim, Northern Ireland,
The party said there was also a security alert at the home of another former party representative.
It was found at Hopefield Grove in Portrush on Thursday evening and people had to leave their homes for several hours during the investigation.
“We will not be deterred in standing up for an inclusive society,” said Alliance MP Stephen Farry.
Hoax devices wrapped in Pride flags left at home of Alliance representatives
Police said they are treating the incident as a hate crime.
Refugees joining Pride parade
The chair of a refugee group who is fundraising for her members to attend a Pride parade said the march will be a “confidence-boosting experience” to “affirm and celebrate” asylum seekers of the LGBT+ community.
Sarah Cope, chair of Queer Refugees Unite, which is a support group for LGBT+ people seeking asylum in the UK, has set up a Go Fund Me to raise money to take 40 of its members to celebrate Pride at the Pride in London parade.
Ms Cope said the experience “can’t be overstated” as it will allow LGBT+ refugees to take part in the parade, particularly as many cannot afford to attend the event, and spoke of the significance of the trip.
Pride Parade will affirm and celebrate LGBTQ+ asylum seekers, says charity chair
Sarah Cope, chair of Queer Refugees Unite, has raised money for her members to attend London Pride Parade to celebrate LGBT+ asylum seekers
‘I was petrified to return’ to Jamaica
Ex-professional swimmer Michael Gunning speaks to Emma Henderson about being gay while swimming for Jamaica as an anti-LGBT country, how Tom Daley helped him come out and how his work is helping support equal rights around the world.
‘If they knew about my sexuality, I don’t think they’d have encouraged me to swim’
Ex-professonial swimmer Michael Gunning speaks to Emma Henderson about being gay while swimming for Jamaica as an anti-LGBT country, how Tom Daley helped him come out and how his work is helping support equal rights around the world
Parade route and where to watch
Take a look at this interactive map for this year’s parade route, which is shown in purple. Attendees wanting to watch the parade have been asked to use any of the designated public spaces along the route.
Pride in London 2023: Parade route and where to watch
Event set to be bigger than ever, organisers say
‘An act of protest’
For many in the LGBT+ community, 2023 has felt like a big step backwards for the rights. Emma Henderson speaks to some those marching at Pride in London to find out why this year’s event is more important than ever.
‘An act of protest’: Pride marchers on why support is needed once more
Following on from last year’s 50th anniversary of Pride and its celebrations , 2023 feels like it’s been a big step backwards for the rights of the LGBT+ community. Emma Henderson speaks to some those marching to find out why this year’s event is more important than ever
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