The Evening Standard’s annual Progress 1000 list of influential Londoners was unveiled today with a show-stopping routine from the singers who performed at the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's wedding.
The Kingdom Choir sang at a packed party on the South Bank where London’s leading “movers and shakers” from politics, business, media, technology and the arts gathered to celebrate how the capital’s strength is drawn from its remarkable diversity.
The choir sang renditions of Stormzy's Blinded By Your Grace, Lovely Day by Bill Withers and All of Me by John Legend to the crowd.
Home secretary Sajid Javid was named earlier at the top of the list . The Duchess of Sussex was named in the list's top ten for the first time.
They were both recognised by the Evening Standard for shattering out-of-date perceptions of the top of society.
Mr Javid, 48, the son of a Pakistani bus driver, became the first MP from an ethnic minority to hold one of the great offices of state.
And former actress Meghan Markle, 37, the daughter of an African-American social worker, was embraced as a senior royal.
Other names selected by the panel to appear in the top ten include rapper Stormzy, 25, who this year funded a scholarship for black students to go to Cambridge; Sarah Mullally, 56, who became the first female Bishop of London in March; world heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua, 28, who last month successfully defended his titles; Kamal Ahmed, 50, the BBC’s recently appointed editorial director of news; Deliveroo co-founder and boss William Shu, 38; Cressida Dick, 57, the first woman Metropolitan Police Commissioner; Andria Zafirakou, 39, winner of this year’s “world’s best teacher” competition, who works at Alperton Community School in Brent; and London Mayor Sadiq Khan.
Evening Standard editor George Osborne said: “Our Progress list this year celebrates the diversity of Londoners — the brilliant people, some born here and others who have moved here, who together make our city so exciting.
“It is a roll call of talent and a rebuff to all those who want to shut Britain off from the world and close our doors to the future.”
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