The State Opening of Parliament
The State Opening of Parliament is the most spectacular pageant in the parliamentary calendar. It is the only annual occasion when all the elements of the British constitution are gathered together under one roof. Present in the chamber of the House of Lords are the Sovereign, the executive, both houses of the legislature and members of the judiciary. The established church is represented by the Lord’s Bishops.
It’s a deeply symbolic event whose drama is heightened by all the glorious costumes and regalia. The quality and richness of the robes are breathtaking: finest velvet, silk, satin and taffeta sit alongside ermine. The robes shimmer with expertly finished gold lace, embroidery, cords, tassels and ornaments. But most important and dazzling of all is the robe worn by the Sovereign on the way to the coronation. Ede and Ravenscroft crafted the present robe in 1952, in preparation for the coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The company’s ledger describes it perfectly:
“Parliamentary robe for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in the best quality hand made crimson velvet, trimmed with gold lace in the traditional manner and lined throughout with finest coronation ermine.”
Second only to the Sovereign’s robe are the spectacular robes of the nation’s peers.
