The Worshipful Company of International Bankers – Annual Banquet

Wednesday night the Mansion House bore witness to the first of two major dinners held by the Worshipful Company of International Bankers (WCIB).

A luxurious room was packed full of WCIB members and their guests with nine long tables protruding from one at the top, and at table eight sat our own Humphrey, Mireille, Jamie, and Charles.

Introduced by orchestral renditions of popular pop songs, performed by the London Banqueting Ensemble, the evening entailed fine dining and a fine international selection of wines. A menu including but not limited to Ox Cheek Braised à la Bordelaise, Pearl Barley Risotto, and Chocolate & Salted Caramel Crémeux, had every guest salivating, though Jamie was particularly drawn to the dessert.

Conversation was only silenced by the toasts, the first of which being a patriotic singing of the National Anthem loudly dedicated to the King. Of course, distracted by the grand paintings donning the walls of the staircase outside of the room, Charles missed all of this.

The banquet continued till 10:30, where the four departed. Or at least it is thought they all did; Charles might still be looking at those paintings.