Star Wars, sloths and sweaters in London's year in pictures

As 2023 draws to a close, what images represent your experience of London over the past 12 months? Memorable events might include the coronation of the King or Just Stop Oil protesters throwing orange paint at a flower show. Or perhaps London's New Year's Eve fireworks display that people attended for the first time since the pandemic?

BBC London has selected a "picture of the day" representing each month, as published on its Instagram account.

So here, we look back at images from the capital from January to December.

January

Looking like it was quite the New Year's Eve party

London Zoo released an image of a baby two-toed sloth which was born on New Year's Day.

Zoo sloth keeper Veronica Heldt said: "We were delighted to finally spot a tiny baby exactly where it should be, clinging on to its mother's tummy.

"We've nicknamed the little one Nova, which means 'new' in Latin, as we couldn't have asked for a better start to the new year."

Fun fact: To accommodate their upside-down lifestyle, sloths are the only mammals whose hair grows upwards - it parts in the middle of the belly and grows upward toward the back. The hair on the face points upward too. This allows water to run off during rainstorms.

February

Londoners came together for the relief effort helping victims of the Turkey-Syria earthquake

On 6 February 2023 an earthquake struck southern and central Turkey and northern and western Syria.

There was widespread damage and tens of thousands of fatalities.

London has thriving Turkish, Kurdish and Syrian communities that were severely affected and many Londoners were quick to rally to support rescue efforts.

March

Central London was decorated with lights for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan

For the first time, London's West End was lit with 30,000 lights to mark the holy month of Ramadan.

The lights were switched on by the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, who is one of the 1.3 million Muslims in London who celebrate the event.

April

"You don't need to see his identification. …These aren't the droids you're looking for". Every good Imperial Death Trooper remembers to wear their lanyard when travelling

The original BBC London caption for this picture - of a Star Wars fan dressed as an Imperial Death Trooper arriving at the ExCeL convention centre - was "Why use an Oyster card when you can use the force?"

To which someone immediately replied: "It's unlikely that an Empire trooper would be force sensitive."

Which BBC London, sadly, did not respond with: "I find your lack of faith disturbing."

May

A giant replica crown made out of different coloured glass stones was set up in central London

To celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III, a giant 16ft replica of St Edward's Crown was set up near Marble Arch.

The huge hat weighed 300kg and featured 36 different coloured glass stones.

It also lit up at night - much like King Charles's crown, which he uses after nightfall to light his way through the 775-room Buckingham Palace. Probably.

June

A Windrush procession invigorated the streets of Brixton

The HMT Empire Windrush, carrying passengers from the Caribbean to the UK, docked on 22 June 75 years ago.

Windrush Day was marked with live coverage from the BBC, a national commemoration service was held at Southwark Cathedral, and a celebratory procession paraded from Herne Hill to Brixton.

July

It wouldn't be polling day without #DogsAtPollingStations

The Uxbridge and South Ruislip by-election, triggered by Boris Johnson's resignation, prompted this picture of a Very Good Boy.

Every election period animal welfare charity Blue Cross gamely fields questions about pets and polling stations, including:

Can my dog vote for me? (No).

Can I ask my dog who they think I should vote for? (Yes).

Does my dog get a vote? (No).

And as a bonus, here are some more pictures of dogs outside polling stations.

August

The Welsh Guards Band played at Buckingham Palace during the FIFA Women's World Cup semi-final

Football almost came home in August as the Lionesses carried the hopes of English fans at the Women's World Cup.

The Welsh Guards Band and their instruments got involved in the semi-final, in which England beat Australia 3-1.

Ultimately, though, football must have forgotten its ticket back. It stayed away as the Lionesses lost 1-0 to Spain in the final.

September

Tributes were left outside Buckingham Palace on the first anniversary of the death of Queen Elizabeth II

September saw the one-year anniversary of the Queen's death. Gun salutes were fired in cities across Britain and the bells of Westminster Abbey echoed across London.

Well-wishers left tributes and flowers at Buckingham Palace.

October

The price of alcohol has really gone up

Don't drop it - the world's most valuable whisky, with an estimated value of £750,000 to £1.2m, was paraded before the cameras ahead of an auction at Sotheby's.

That valuation, though, was nonsense. The drink sold for £2.1m - almost twice as much as its highest estimate.

November

The Natural History Museum dressed one of its T-Rex models in a Christmas jumper and hat

Christmas seems to start earlier and earlier every year.

This year it started in the late Cretaceous period - 66 to 90 million years ago, with the T-Rex at the Natural History Museum donning a traditional prehistoric jumper.

December

The shiny, refurbished copper-clad roof at Smithfield Market, the soon-to-be site of the Museum of London

To say something is "copper-bottomed" means that it is entirely reliable, while "copper topped" indicates a person with auburn hair.

The soon-to-be museum of London, with its shiny copper-clad roof, is neither - but has been described by London's mayor Sadiq Khan as "a major landmark that will be a jewel in our crown".

Which sounds better than either.

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