Celebrating 50 Years of Pride UK

With a legacy that dates back to 1972, Pride UK has established itself as the premier event in the LGBTQ+ calendar. Synonymous with visibility, unity and equality, its annual parades are colourful celebrations of the LGBTQ+ community and are hugely popular nationwide.

The first official Pride UK event took place in London on 1 July 1972 with approximately 2,000 participants. As the very first Pride event held in the United Kingdom, Pride in London has a rich history that spans multiple decades and generations. Due to its location, it is also the biggest and one of the most diverse Pride events in the UK, attracting around 1.5 million attendees.

Today, there are more than 150 Pride events across the UK. Promoting solidarity, togetherness and inclusivity within a colourful, carnival-like atmosphere, these events have played a huge role in ushering in social equality and promoting acceptance for the LGBTQ+ community.

In honour of this truly revolutionary movement that helped change the course of history, we are proud to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first Pride UK event with a UK 50p coin, marking the first time Britain’s LGBTQ+ community has been celebrated on a UK coin.