The Rex organization, according to Mardi Gras historian Errol Laborde, was formed for three reasons: to provide an appropriately regal greeting for the visiting Grand Duke Alexis Alexandrovitch Romanoff of Russia; to give revelers something to enjoy during the day on Fat Tuesday until Comus' paradeSources: "Marched the Day God: A History of the Rex Organization," by Errol Laborde; New Orleans City Guide; the Pro Bono Publico Foundation; the Rex organization; Arthur Hardy's 1989 Mardi Gras Guide.
Wheelers simple words punctuated a monumental toast. King Zulu raised a glass to Mayor Ray Nagin on Mardi Gras Day, 2006. We called it the most important Mardi Gras ever, said Carnival expert Errol Laborde.