Yes

by Brian P Mccabe

Created on: November 06, 2007

The State Opening Of Parliament
I sat at home and watched the Queens speech at the state opening of Parliament live on BBC News 24.
This is the speech written by the Prime Minister and approved by the sitting cabinet that outlines the government's plans for the coming session of Parliament.
The Sovereign herself has no say in its contents although she is entitled to raise her eyebrow on occasion but only in private.
I had just turned on the TV to see hundreds of soldiers bedecked in their finest regalia on horseback escorting the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh in their four horse drawn golden coach as they head towards the palace of Westminster and to the House of Lords where she will deliver her speech.
I instantly thought of a recent news report about the numbers of soldiers fighting in amongst other places, Iraq and Afghanistan and wondered, "What was all the fuss about?
Surely there cant be any crisis in numbers of volounteers if they can spare so many for this ceremony?"
Of course I only thought that for a second or two as its obvious tradition and pomp are far more important to the ruling classes than the squaddies who fight and die in her name.
As the golden coach and its entourage of other horse drawn coaches swing into view again the band of soldiers bedecked in their finest dress with bearskins on and carrying an assortment of brass instruments strike up a "Rousing" rendition of the British national anthem "God save the Queen".
Just a thought; but why do you never hear a full rendition of the British anthem sung? Including the verse "Marauding Scots to crush" or words to that effect?
Like I say it's just a thought.
The coach arrives at the grand entrance and she emerges with her ever-loyal husband dressed in full military regalia with a chest full of medals.
The Royal procession make their way on foot followed by a succession of page boys and ladies in waiting and more soldiers (no sedan chairs here you know) past bowing and curtseying minions towards the "Robing room" where she will be dressed in even more splendour and receive the crown before entering the House of Lords and to the throne from where she will deliver her speech.
The camera cuts to the interior of the chamber and we see an odd assortment of "Lords and Ladies" dressed identically in white fur trimmed red robes looking more like a Santa Claus convention gone horribly wrong because someone forgot to pack the white beards.
All sitting intently whispering amongst themselves and awaiting the jewels encrusted entrance of her majesty.
The off camera commentator and his friend in the studio point out a few faces here and there, most are unknown to me and I would wager to most people, but they point them out now and again anyway and give us desperate for information viewers a small biog of the person in question.
The camera cuts again to the speaker's procession where he makes his way into the commons chamber to take his seat, stopping and bowing his head towards the chair twice on the way. Beside him a man in ancient fancy dress carries the golden Mace, which he places on a stand on the bench ahead, this symbolises the House of Commons' authority.
The object of this exercise is for the House of Commons to meet in order to be in the position to be invited to hear the Queens speech, (bear with me) by "Black Rod" the Queens representative. If they choose to do so!
They have to, as a rule, declare their independence, from the crown in this ceremony.

The camera goes back to the Queens convoy entering the royal chamber to the sound of trumpeters, where honoured guests not able to get into the actual House of Lords await her arrival with baited breath.
All stand as she enters, now fully dressed in the Imperial gown with the imperial state crown perched on her head.
The procession with the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at the head makes its way passed the assembled guests toward the main chamber where the tightly packed disgruntled Santa's all stand, if they can?
The Queen and the Duke make their way to the thrones from where she will deliver the speech.
She says, "My lords, pray be seated" and they all do.

This is the signal for "Black Rod" to swing into action.
"Black Rod" is an ancient custom, whereas a man in tights carrying a fancy stick is in charge of the security of the Monarch.
His main duty this day is to "Invite" the members of Parliament into the House of Lords to hear the Queens speech.
Before this can happen he has to make his way back from the House of Lords towards the House of Commons where the MPs sit in eager anticipation.
As he approaches the open doors of the Commons, a disembodied voice shouts out "Close the doors" and the doors are ceremoniously slammed shut in his face.
He then takes his fancy stick and bangs on the door three times and the same voice shouts out "Open the doors"
Wherein the doors are flung open and Black Rod walks through towards the speakers chair stopping twice on the way to bow, where he delivers his well used lines.

"Mr speaker, the Queen commands this honourable house to attend her majesty immediately in the house of peers"

Finally we get a laugh as one of the assembled MPs says out loud "Who shot the Harriers?"
This was a referral to the recent publicity surrounding the Queens grandson Prince Harry. The would be boy soldier; (as long as its not to dangerous) was recently questioned by police over the unlawful shooting of two rare and protected birds on one of the family's royal estates.
Harry denies all knowledge which, judging by the other recent headlines about him, I'm surprised anyone could think he could walk in a straight line most days never mind shoot a fleeing bird. Ah well the army's loss is our gain.
The speaker rises from his chair and makes his way to the House of Lords with his companion in fancy dress retrieving the mace and joining him, the rest following in tow.
Out of the hundreds of members a handful defiantly stay in their seats, the heckler among them.
After a bit of a walk the speaker and his entourage arrive first and then they are joined by the others who all stand at the back watching as the Home Secretary dressed from head to toe in his finest party gear, walks towards the Queen on her throne with a red velvet bag in hand containing the speech for her to read.
He walks up the two or three small steps and goes down on one knee bowing before her as he reaches in to the bag and hands her the speech.
He then, still head bowed backs off never looking her in the eye and not turning his back on her as this is against Royal protocol to do so.
Isn't it a lovely gesture in keeping with tradition from the Home secretary?
Off camera the presenters haven't quite turned their mikes off and one sniggers at this as the other exclaims under his breath in astonishment "amazing"
Not bad for a former student leader once described as "Radical".
The speech starts off with the usual "My lords, ladies and assembled whosever's" and continued on that road.
I couldn't help wonder at the irony of almost every other sentence starting "My government" Sorry who's Government?
Thankfully the speech itself is just a minor distraction to the whole days events and before long she has said her piece and earned her days pay.
The home secretary once more shuffles onto his knees and head bowed gratefully receives the speech back from her and puts it in his red bag backing away slowly head bowed as he does so.
Was that another snigger I hear in the background?
After this its time to go back to the robing room and take off the sparklers before heading back home to Buckingham Palace.
When ready, they make their way to their golden coach and a trumpet again sounds as they do so signalling the end of the 56th state opening of her reign.
As the coach moves off the camera cuts to the royal standard flag that always flies whenever she is in attendance, and it is slowly lowered signalling her departure. "The Queen has left the building"
The procession sets of to one more rousing rendition of the anthem as the announcer tells me its nearly midday so now its time for the weather.
A happy cheery looking chap appears on screen and tells me what I already know.
There's an icy chill over the country.

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