There was also a (ceremonial) search of the parlimentary cellars for explosives
Today in our contemporary democracy, an elected politician will be taken hostage at Buckingham Palace to protect the King.
It happens quite regularly, but don’t worry. They won’t risk losing any toenails or seeing threatening notes written with letters cut from Metro newspapers.
Instead, they’re more likely to be offered a gin and tonic and a comfy chair from which to watch the state opening of Parliament, the ceremonial start of the new session of government.
The MP ‘taken hostage’ today is Labour whip Samantha Dixon, Vice-Chamberlain of the Household, who is unlikely to object given it is part of a centuries old tradition.
While she waits in the splendour of Bucky P, the King will travel to Westminster to read out a speech written by Keir Starmer, setting out what he wants to do as the new prime minister.
Once he has safely returned home, she will be allowed to leave.
The idea is that if something bad happens to the King, she will meet the same fate, and dates back hundreds of years to when the relationship between the Crown and elected officials was far more fraught.
In 1649, King Charles I was executed after opposing Parliament in the English Civil War, and was beheaded as ‘a Tyrant, Traitor, Murderer and Public Enemy’, so you can understand why the royals might have been cagey after that.
Thankfully for Ms Dixon, the ceremony these days is just a formality and a quirk of our legal and parliamentary system.
But it’s not the only oddity to be expected this morning.
Another grave and solemn event is the arrival of ‘Black Rod’, in fact an official from the House of Lords and not a sentient stick.
The post is currently held by the first woman in its history, Sarah Clarke, who was appointed in 2018.
Not usually in the spotlight, the state opening is Black Rod’s time to shine, with another tradition in which, as the King’s representative, she will be refused entry to the House of Commons.
The doors of the chamber will be slammed in her face. It is believed this started to symbolise the independence of MPs from the monarch, although another theory goes that it started when a different Black Rod forgot his rod hundreds of years ago and was sent back to get it.
But after she strikes the door three times with her Black Rod (an ebony staff topped with a golden lion), they let her in after all, and then as many MPs as will fit follow her back to the Lords.
One eagerly awaited aspect of the ceremony used to be when Labour MP (and Republican) Dennis Skinner heckled at at this point, including once telling the Queen to ‘pay her taxes’. But he lost his seat in 2019, and nobody has yet taken up the heckling mantle.
Bonfire Night on November 5 commemorates the ‘gunpowder, treason, and plot’ when Guy Fawkes tried to blow up Parliament – and he tried to do it during a state opening.
For this reason, there is a ceremonial search of cellars to be sure there are no barrels of explosives hidden down there.
You may also ask why there are processions of soldiers in red tunics and bearskin hats, brass bands, carriages, and the crown jewels making their way through the streets of London.
This is also part of our parliamentary tradition, and may well cause bemusement to anyone who grew up in a Republic.
It’s certainly a spectacle and something tourists would love a glimpse of. Best not to ask how much it all costs.
Before the King arrives, there will be a gun salute to mark his arrival. The lights in the House of Lords will be dimmed, just to make things even more theatrical.
Don’t judge his public speaking skills too harshly when the speech begins, however. It is always read out in a bit of a drone – and this is for an important reason.
The monarch does not write the speech themselves, and merely reads out one written by the government. They therefore avoid getting too excited about any of the themes, so as to keep the appearance of objectivity as the King or Queen is meant to avoid giving their political views.
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