On Monday 14th October, Her Majesty the Queen opened parliament for the next session. The State Opening of Parliament is an annual event. The Queen, this year accompanied by the Prince of Wales, with the Duchess of Cornwall also in attendance, travelled from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament), in the State Coach, escorted by the Household Cavalry. The regalia and Imperial State Crown travelled in a separate coach ahead of the Queen. The Queen arrived at the Sovereign's Entrance, and from there went to the Robing Room. She was dressed in the long crimson velvet Robe of State. She then led the Royal Procession along the Royal Gallery to the House of Lords. The members of the House of Lords were gathered, wearing their ceremonial robes, along with invited guests such as Judges of the High Court of Justice, wearing their wigs. All of these elements of apparel are part of the tradition and ceremony of the State Opening of Parliament. The Imperial State Crown was not worn by the Queen this year, as it is so heavy, but was present throughout the ceremony on a cushion next to her. Her Majesty instead wore the George IV Diadem this year. Previously, the Queen opted against wearing the Imperial State Crown in 2017, as it was after a snap election, and there was not sufficient time for the procession rehearsal, it being only a few days before Trooping the Colour.
'Black Rod,' the official of the House of Lord’s, was then sent to summon the House of Commons. The door to the Commons was first symbolically slammed in his face, which symbolises the Commons' independence from the monarchy. Black Rod then struck on the door loudly three times with his ebony staff, or rod, before it was opened, and the 250 Members of the House of Commons followed him back to the Lords Chamber, to stand at the opposite end to The Queen's Throne. The Queen then officially opened parliament with a speech that outlined the government’s aims for this session. This year there were 22 bills outlined in the speech. The speech is drafted by the government, not the Queen herself, but the government is in her name. The Lord Chamberlain is the one who carried in the speech in a special black silk bag, that he presented to the Queen on bended knee, for her to read out.
The Queen departed. Both Houses will then debate the issues in the Queen’s Speech over the next few days. They will come up with an, ‘Address in Reply to Her Majesty’s Gracious Speech.’ The speech is voted on by the Commons but not usually the Lords. The State Opening of Parliament has existed in some form since the 16th century, and in its current form since 1852, after the rebuilding of the Palace of Westminster, following the fire in 1834.
I am not going to comment on the political side of this event, nor the contents of the speech, but I will say that the Queen is very experienced at this event now, and so as expected all went smoothly. I like these traditions as a reminder of where we have come from in terms of the development of the country. The Queen’s decision to not wear the Imperial State Crown is not surprising given her age and it’s weight; I am pleased she wore a substitute and that it was still present throughout the ceremony. It is not often that the state regalia comes into use!