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The Old Palace of
Westminster was largely destroyed by fire in 1834. The new Palace was purpose built (among other things) to accommodate the ceremonial of a State Opening. Thus in Victoria's reign, the long-established ceremonial of the State Opening was married to its now-familiar architectural
890:
Earlier, a separate carriage procession (escorted by a
Regalia Escort of the Household Cavalry) conveys the crown, the sword of state and the cap of maintenance (in one carriage), and the serjeants at arms with their maces (in another) by the same route to the Palace of Westminster.
101:
would assemble at the Palace of
Westminster (which was the King's principal residence). They would then go in procession on foot to nearby Westminster Abbey for Mass, prior to returning in procession to the Palace for the Opening of Parliament itself. (During the Mass, the
304:
The latter contingent includes a combination of royal officials and attendants, plus others who are there by virtue of holding honorary positions in the Royal
Household (namely several Government Whips and the professional heads of the Armed Services).
252:'s grand parliamentary interiors. The pattern of events then was much as it is now: the monarch, members of the royal family and members of the Household arrive in a Carriage Procession from Buckingham Palace (preceded by the items of royal
851:, members of the extended royal family who were Peers or Peeresses (including Dowagers) often used to attend the State Opening; they, however, were seated on the benches of the chamber and did not form part of the State Procession.
219:
to the Palace of
Westminster. At about this time, the practice of all Peers taking part in the procession ceased (due in no small part to the increasing size of the Peerage). In 1698, Whitehall Palace burned down; thereafter
843:
Occasionally one or two of the monarch's children have walked in the procession, behind the monarch and consort, and occupied positions on the dais either side of the throne (sometimes accompanied by their spouses).
49:
184:
Church. At around this time, Westminster ceased to be a royal residence, becoming instead the fixed abode of
Parliament itself. In 1536, the procession set off from the new royal residence of
939:(who since 2019 has also held the office of Lord Privy Seal) is usually given the role of carrying the Cap of Maintenance, and therefore walks just ahead of the monarch.
83:
King Henry VIII, preceded by the Sword of State and Cap of
Maintenance, in procession from Westminster Abbey for the State Opening of Parliament, 4 February 1512.
97:
opening
Parliament on 7 November 1485 includes a description of the processions which preceded it. By this time the pattern had become established whereby the
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Change was necessitated after the Palace of
Westminster was severely damaged by fire in 1514. In both 1523 and 1529, the Opening of Parliament took place in
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over a century later). On occasion (and especially in times of plague) the King would travel by river from
Whitehall to Westminster, using a State Barge.
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161:, borne by his son. The King himself carries a sceptre and walks beneath a richly-decorated canopy supported by four monks. His train-bearer is the
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129:'s first Opening of Parliament in 1510. The 1512 account includes an illustration of the Procession depicting participants together with their
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On the morning of the State Opening, the King and Queen travel 'in State' from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster, riding in a
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began regularly to be used for the procession to Westminster (though this was not entirely new - both Elizabeth I (on occasion) and
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188:. Three years later, the King, Peers and attendants were to be seen riding in procession from Whitehall to the Abbey, in their
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125:'s direction) for marshalling the procession, began to keep detailed records of the event, the earliest of which dates from
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110:' who had been elected to represent the Commons would gather in the Parliament Chamber for a roll-call, overseen by the
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to provide space for the carriages, a robing room, and a grand interior processional route to the House of Lords.
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The Imperial State Crown is also carried ahead of the monarch if for any particular reason it is not being worn.
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accompany the procession, reminiscent of earlier times when the regalia was conveyed to the palace by river.
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The King and Queen (immediately preceded by peers carrying the Sword of State and the Cap of Maintenance)
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The State Opening of Parliament is one of the few occasions when a State Procession is to be seen; the
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The Prince and Princess of Wales, if present, would join the procession behind the King and Queen.
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and escorted by a Sovereign's Escort of the Household Cavalry. Other carriages follow (namely the
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For the 1679 State Opening, there was no procession and no service in the Abbey (for fear of a
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1050:'none but the King’s Children shall sit on either Side of the Cloth of Estate in Parliament'.
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After the State Opening has concluded, the carriage processions return to Buckingham Palace.
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with their attendants); after a time of preparation, the monarch proceeds in State from the
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follow, among whom can be seen the Lord Steward (with his white wand of office).
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to the Palace of Westminster for the State Opening of Parliament, 27 May 2015.
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and on horseback. This precedent was followed in subsequent years: Queen
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41:, but in earlier centuries it followed an outdoor route to and from
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1083:
Cannadine, D. 'The Palace of Westminster as Palace of Varieties'
1070:
Cobb H.S. 'The Staging of Ceremonies in the House of Lords' in
165:(carrying his white wand of office), who is 'assisted by' the
87:, detail from 17th century copy, British Library, Add MS 22306
37:. The State Procession is now confined to the interior of the
224:
became the usual point of departure. In the Georgian period,
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at the front of the procession, accompanied by Heralds and
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had used carriages to get to the State Opening). Under
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As of 2023, the Procession is constituted as follows:
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rode on occasion or else was carried in a horse-borne
25:
includes a State Procession, a formal display of the
1099:
State Opening of Parliament - history and ceremonial
1072:
The Houses of Parliament: History, Art, Architecture
867:
passes the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in the
114:who would leave the Abbey early for this purpose.)
983:The First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff.
29:, dignified by a sizeable entourage made up of
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1089:
280:The Procession falls into four main sections:
236:, the Palace of Westminster was remodeled by
8:
204:, a practice that would also be followed by
1037:A Government Whip in the House of Commons.
1028:A Government Whip in the House of Commons.
807:Comptroller, The Lord Chamberlain's Office
276:Present-day Participants in the Procession
605:her train borne by two Pages of Honour.)
121:, who had the responsibility (under the
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1019:A Government Whip in the House of Lords
1010:A Government Whip in the House of Lords
1001:A Government Whip in the House of Lords
919:
313:
145:follow with their maces, just ahead of
707:First and Principal Naval Aide de Camp
7:
1105:. London: House of Commons Library
1048:House of Lords Precedence Act 1539
761:Private Secretary to the Sovereign
727:Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard
14:
839:Other members of the royal family
1164:Ceremonies in the United Kingdom
1144:Parliament of the United Kingdom
1124:Court Circular, 7 November 2023.
829:Field Officer in Brigade Waiting
738:Captain of the Gentlemen at Arms
180:, following a service in nearby
85:Parliament Procession Roll, 1512
73:
64:
992:The Chief of the General Staff.
803:Equerry in Waiting to The Queen
1149:Monarchy of the United Kingdom
757:Private Secretary to The Queen
381:Norroy and Ulster King of Arms
300:Members of the Royal Household
200:(as had been her sister Queen
149:. The King is preceded by the
1:
485:Lord President of the Council
950:Leader of the House of Lords
937:Leader of the House of Lords
847:Prior to the passing of the
776:Comptroller of the Household
1154:State ritual and ceremonies
974:The Chief of the Air Staff.
908:State Opening of Parliament
869:Diamond Jubilee State Coach
733:Lord or Baroness in Waiting
364:Lady Usher of the Black Rod
294:The Great Officers of State
23:State Opening of Parliament
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783:Treasurer of the Household
684:Chief of the Defence Staff
753:Keeper of the Privy Purse
288:, two Serjeants-at-Arms,
1096:Torrance, David (2023).
593:his train borne by four
1159:Annual events in London
1074:. London: Merrell 2000.
1046:Under the terms of the
849:House of Lords Act 1999
822:Silver Stick in Waiting
388:Clarenceux King of Arms
268:, to the Throne in the
31:Great Officers of State
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587:(The King wearing the
501:Lord Great Chamberlain
163:Lord Great Chamberlain
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651:Gold Stick in Waiting
56:Historical background
50:Coronation Procession
39:Palace of Westminster
712:Aide de Camp General
637:A Queen's Companion
599:the Queen wearing a
589:Imperial State Crown
477:Lord High Chancellor
855:Carriage procession
663:Master of the Horse
427:Garter King of Arms
217:Palace of Whitehall
155:Lord High Constable
147:Garter King of Arms
117:In due course, the
33:and members of the
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798:Equerry in Waiting
541:Cap of Maintenance
258:King's Robing Room
151:Cap of Maintenance
99:Peers of the Realm
16:British procession
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631:Queen's Companion
559:(borne by a Peer)
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167:Lord Chamberlain
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153:, borne by the
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133:. It shows the
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260:, through the
238:Sir John Soane
171:Lords Temporal
159:Sword of State
93:An account of
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1107:. Retrieved
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865:Elizabeth II
846:
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680:Aide de Camp
657:Lord Steward
586:
574:Her Majesty
567:His Majesty
558:
548:(borne by a
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509:Earl Marshal
461:Lord Speaker
310:
307:
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123:Earl Marshal
116:
112:Lord Steward
92:
84:
52:is another.
47:
20:
18:
881:Glass Coach
877:state coach
800:to The King
325:Pursuivants
318:Pursuivants
244:setting of
213:Popish Plot
194:Elizabeth I
182:Blackfriars
1138:Categories
1109:7 November
1058:References
883:and three
222:St James's
206:Queen Anne
127:Henry VIII
576:The Queen
290:Black Rod
234:George IV
226:carriages
186:Whitehall
108:Burgesses
95:Henry VII
27:Sovereign
965:in 2023.
902:See also
569:The King
157:and the
347:Heralds
340:Heralds
254:regalia
119:heralds
104:Knights
863:Queen
601:diadem
202:Mary I
198:litter
169:. The
141:; the
1103:(PDF)
914:Notes
250:Pugin
246:Barry
190:robes
1111:2023
961:The
935:The
661:The
655:The
550:Peer
539:The
531:The
507:The
499:The
483:The
475:The
459:The
451:The
284:The
264:and
248:and
106:and
21:The
1140::
1088:^
731:A
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603:,
597:;
591:,
272:.
45:.
1113:.
952:.
686:)
682:(
552:)
102:'
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