'We need to remember who we are!' Patriotic Briton hails St George's Day celebration as thousands descend on Trafalgar Square

Georgia Pearce
Sun, 19 Apr 2026 12:58:20 +0000

A proud Briton has hailed the start of St George's Day celebrations in London, as she declared we must "remember who we are".

Speaking to GB News National Reporter Jack Carson, Kiloran Cavendish was proudly dressed in her St George's Cross alongside a magnificent dragon puppet on her arm.

Highlighting the importance of the festival in Trafalgar Square, Ms Cavendish told GB News that although Britain has "a lot of cultures", it is just as important to "celebrate our own".

She said: "I do this every year and I think it's great. I like dressing up anyway because I go to festivals and I like celebrating Saint George because I love dragons.

TRENDING

Stories

Videos

Your Say

"I think we need to remember who we are. This country has a lot of cultures which we enjoy celebrating and joining in with, and I think it's important to celebrate our own as well."

Highlighting some of the many British things she enjoys celebrating at festivals such as the one in Trafalgar Square, Ms Cavendish listed some of the iconic British cuisine she loves.

She revealed: "I think of pubs and people eating scones, having cream teas, enjoying Pimm's if it's nice, and roast dinners.

"Anything that's English, really!"

Jack also spoke to Pearlie Queen Nicola Marshall, who joined fellow Pearlie Kings and Queens at the festival to mark 150 years of their tradition.

Highlighting the importance of the Pearlie history, Ms Marshall told GB News: "I'm proud to be English, British, mix with everybody, I'm happy with that.

"We've got these British traditions, we like to keep them alive, and we like people to know what we do."

Explaining the origins of Pearlie Kings and Queens, Ms Marshall said: "A Pearlie King or Queen is an old London tradition that dates back to 1875. To present day, we're celebrating just over 150 years of us, so everything at the heart of what we do is for charity.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

Labour considers moving Polish WWII survivors from care home as residents fume: 'Sense of betrayal!'

Pubs warned beer taps could run dry during World Cup due to US-Iran war

Patriotic landlord celebrates victory in council row over giant St George’s flag painted on his pub

"Our founder started by speaking to the market traders that he was working alongside, asking them for any leftover fruit and veg that he could take back to the children's home in Saint Pancras, where he lived originally before he left to feed them, and from there he decided to try and start raising money for charity.

"So he stood in his own normal clothes, nobody paid attention. The buttons that he found while sweeping the floor, he sewed on an outfit and made the first ever pearly suit, and then people flocked to him to help donate money to charity."

Jack then highlighted the motto of the Pearlie Kings and Queens, which is "honour, trust and loyalty".

Ms Marshall said: "That is our motto, and like I say, we've got these British traditions. We like Saint George's Day because it's English and we're in London a lot.

"It means a lot to us to be able to do this, along with all the other things we celebrate throughout the year, like Saint Patrick's Day and all that as well.

"For my family as well, it's been handed down through to me. I did it as a child with my nan, and then when she passed away, I became Queen. So originally I was a princess when I was little. I've been doing it a long time."

The Mayor of London is hosting the celebration of English culture, which kicked off at noon in Trafalgar Square and runs until 6pm this evening.

The entertainment lineup is packed with variety, featuring everything from the Foreign Shadows band to poet Zita Holbourne delivering powerful spoken word performances.