Who are the Pearly Kings and Queens?
The Pearly Kings and Queens are a London tradition of charity workers who wear clothes covered in thousands of mother-of-pearl buttons. The tradition began in the late 1800s with Henry Croft, a street sweeper who raised money for charity.
The custom grew out of the costermongers, London street traders who sold fruit and vegetables. Costermongers elected leaders, known as kings, and some decorated their clothes with pearl buttons.
Henry Croft, an orphan who worked as a road sweeper, was inspired by the costermongers. He covered a suit with pearl buttons to attract attention and raise money for hospitals and orphanages.
Charity and tradition
Other families followed, and pearly families were established in many London boroughs. The titles are often passed down through generations.
Pearly Kings and Queens appear at events such as the Harvest Festival service, held at St Martin-in-the-Fields or other churches, where they raise money for charity.
Their suits can contain tens of thousands of buttons, arranged in patterns and symbols. The tradition is a colorful part of London's working-class heritage.