State Opening of Parliament in Britain

On October 14, the annual State Opening of Parliament took place at the House of Lords in London, England.

The Queen wore the George IV diadem in break with the tradition of wearing the Imperial State Crown at the Opening of Parliament this morning, as she read her speech to the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson; MPs and other important figures. The Imperial State Crown was placed on a cushion beside her.

Prince Charles sat next to his mother on the Sovereign’s Throne whilst his wife, Camilla, entered the House of Lords on her own and was seated nearby her husband and her mother-in-law.

The F Company Scots Guards marched the traditional procession along The Mall, and the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery marched past the palace, flying the Royal Standard.

The State Opening of Parliament has remained the same since 1852, the year the Palace of Westminster was rebuilt following the 1834 fire. However, the ceremony itself has been taking place for much longer and began in the 14th century where it was realised it was a necessity for the monarch to address nobles and representatives. They were dressed in robes and seated in the Painted Chamber at Westminster, and then the monarch performed a speech.

Before either the House of Lords or the House of Commons can proceed with public business, Her Majesty officially opens Parliament by addressing both Houses in The Queen's Speech. #QueensSpeech #stateopeningofparliament pic.twitter.com/T0hmFxq9wk

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) October 14, 2019

Two of The Queen’s Serjeants-at-Arms accompany the regalia, which is made up of The Imperial State Crown, the Cap of Maintenance and The Great Sword of State. They travel from Buckingham Palace in Queen Alexandra’s State Coach. pic.twitter.com/viTIMGcAip

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) October 14, 2019

Filed under The United Kingdom
Tagged Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, Parliament, The Prince of Wales.

2 Responses to State Opening of Parliament in Britain