Lord Mayor facts for kids

John Stuttard, the Lord Mayor of London in 2006.

The Lord Mayor is a special title given to the Mayor of an important city. This person often represents the city at big events. The role of a Lord Mayor can be different depending on the country. Sometimes, they are mostly there for ceremonies. Other times, they are in charge of running the city.

Lord Mayors in the United Kingdom

In countries like England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, the Lord Mayor has a ceremonial job. This means they don't handle the daily tasks of the city. Instead, they are like the city's official representative. They attend important events and welcome special guests. The King or Queen gives this title to a person using a special document called letters patent.

Lord Mayors in the Commonwealth

• In Australia, a Lord Mayor has a political job. This means people vote for them to lead the city. Some Australian cities with Lord Mayors include Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney.
• In Canada, only the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake has a Lord Mayor. This is because it was the first capital of Upper Canada.
• In Malaysia, the capital city of Kuala Lumpur also has a Lord Mayor. This title was created on February 1, 1972.

Lord Mayors in Ireland

In the Republic of Ireland, the Lord Mayor of Dublin and the Lord Mayor of Cork have symbolic titles. This is similar to the role in the United Kingdom. They represent their cities at special events.

Lord Mayors in Other Countries

• In Denmark, the highest mayor of Copenhagen is called Overborgmester.
• In Germany, the mayors of large cities are often called Oberbürgermeister. Like in Australia, these mayors are the working leaders of their cities. In the three German city-states, the mayor is also the head of the state government. For example, in Berlin, they are called Regierender Bürgermeister (Governing Mayor).
• In Finland, the main city manager of Helsinki is called ylipormestari, which means "high mayor." This title is used more often than their official job title.
• In Romania and Moldova, the mayors of the capital cities (Bucharest and Chişinău) are called Primar General. This means General Mayor. This name is mostly for show and doesn't give them more power than other mayors.

Images for kids

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  John Stuttard, the Lord Mayor of London during the 2006 Lord Mayor's Show.

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  Letters patent granting the Lord Mayor title to Oxford.