Nowhere will the Queen be more deeply mourned than in London's financial district. One of the places where a new sovereign is proclaimed is the City's Royal Exchange, where huge crowds gathered in silence to mark the accession of Queen Elizabeth II in February 1952.

This emphasised the important link between the Crown and business. There exists a tiny writ granted by William the Conqueror in 1067, and all the Guilds and Livery Companies that play such a vital part in the municipal and economic life of London have been granted charters of incorporation from the Crown.