I went to my citizenship ceremony in Wandsworth last night. I was lucky enough to be able to schedule it for the week after I received the letter. It was really well organised.
The "new citizens" were asked to come into the room (the council chamber) first and to sign two different registers (to be honest I was a bit distracted by the time I got in and don't remember what they were). They showed us our assigned seats and we were told to go outside again and wait to be called. We milled around with our guests (I brought my husband and two friends), then they called us back in again, and went over what was going to happen in the ceremony. Then they allowed the guests in, and the person running the ceremony welcomed everyone, talked about citizenship and the UK, and asked us to stand for the dignitary (the affable mayor, who was splendidly decked out in red robes with his chain of office). He then read a speech about the history of Wandsworth and the elements of its emblem, and congratulated us.
Then we were asked to take the oath of allegiance. We had been seated alphabetically in two groups, those who chose to swear by God and those who chose to affirm instead. The first group stood and individually in turn said "I, ____" with their names, and then we all read the rest of the first paragraph of the oath together. Then the second group went, and then both groups stood and read the second paragraph together. (I confess I choked up a bit.)
After that we were directed to come to the front (again a well-organised queue), and the person running it showed each of us his or her certificate and asked if were correct, then asked where we were from. Then she announced "please welcome X, from X". Families or couples were announced together. She then took us and the certificate(s) to the mayor, who shook our hands (except for some people who didn't shake), and the photographer took a picture. Everyone applauded for each new citizen. We then went to another organiser, who handed us the gift (a leather passport cover) and a folder with some information about citizenship and passport applications, and letter from Theresa May.
When we were all done, the person running it gave another speech about the rights of UK citizens and the responsibilities as well. The mayor then popped up and asked to say a few more unscheduled words. He made a few jolly remarks about the Scottish referendum (he is Scottish) and said how happy he was that we were all now citizens of the whole United Kingdom and not a diminished UK, as we might have felt cheated otherwise, and congratulated us again.
Then everyone stood and sang the national anthem, and it was over.
Before the ceremony started there was a photographer who took two pictures of you signing the register, and another who was available to take passport photos if you wanted (£5 for four), which I thought was a brilliant idea, as everyone would need them afterward. They also took two pictures of you with the certificate and the mayor. After the ceremony you could buy any of the four pictures (£15 for one, £20 for 2, £30 for three, I think, not sure how many for four--rather a ripoff but it's a once in a lifetime experience, so we bought two).
It was a pretty diverse group of new citizens. There were 48, as I recall, and the biggest group was from South Africa, several more from other African countries, quite a few from India, Pakistan, Russia and other East European countries, several from Australia and New Zealand, a few from EU countries, two Chinese, and three Americans.
So, a major milestone completed! Just the passport left, thank God.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed for vadio and all the other UK-Yanks who are still waiting, that you get your Home Office envelopes very soon!!