The State Opening is a formal ceremony of the meeting of all constituent parts of the British Parliament: the Monarch, the House of Commons and the House of Lords. At that ceremony in the House of Lords, the monarch delivers the King’s Speech that sets the aims of the government for the upcoming year. 

Interestingly the meeting of all parts of the parliament is consistent with the system of the Polish mixed monarchy system established in the XVI century in which the monarch (king, pl. król), the Sejm and the Senate constituted the governing body of the Commonwealth of Poland. 

First, the chambers and rooms, including cellars which will be visited by the monarch are searched during a Ceremonial Search led by the yeoman guard which serves as the monarch’s bodyguards and constitutes the oldest military force in Britain. 

The tradition commemorates the infamous Gunpowder Plot of 5 November 1605 aimed at killing the monarch (King James the VI of Scotland and I of England) and destroying the House of Lords by an explosion prepared to start in the gunpowder located in the undercroft of the House. 

The yeomen guard procession is led by a member of parliamentary staff carrying a key to the building’s cellars.

The culminating moment of the State Opening will be the “gracious speech from the throne” also called the King’s Speech which is aimed to set the goals of His Majesty’s government for the upcoming year. The speech is read out by the monarch but is originally written by the HM government. 

The State Opening takes place in the House of Lords chamber within the Palace of Westminster on the first day of the new parliamentary session.

At first, the King arrives at the House of Lords through the Sovreign’s Entrance and enters the Robing Room. Then the Royal Procession starts in the Royal Gallery to walk the King to the House of Lords chamber where the monarch remains seated on the throne. 

Then the Black Rod knocks on the door to the Commons chamber and summons the House of Commons so that the MPs, black rods and Commons officials can enter the House of Lords and listen to the King’s Speech standing. 

Apart from the Lords and Commons, those entitled to listen to the address are special guests, judges, ambassadors and high commissioners. After the Speech the King leaves the parliament, which opens the new session and debates the contents of the Speech. 

Source: House of Lords

Tomasz Modrzejewski

Photo: X @UKHouseofLords