Pomp and ceremony in full force at historic state opening for King

Charles is the first male monarch to open Parliament for more than 70 years, since his grandfather George VI in 1950.

The King, wearing the Imperial State Crown and the Robe of State, and the Queen, wearing the George IV State Diadem, pass through the Royal Gallery (Justin Tallis/PA) (PA Wire)

The first King’s Speech in more than 70 years was steeped in ancient traditions dating back centuries.

From Black Rod striking the door of the House of Commons three times to the Government whip held “hostage” at Buckingham Palace until the sovereign was safely returned, it was a historic moment for the King at his inaugural state opening of Parliament as monarch.

But with a new reign in place, there were a few notable changes.

– Return to full pomp

The regalia, the carriages and the military were employed in all their finery for the first state opening of Charles’s reign.

The King wore the Imperial State Crown – the first time a monarch has done so at the ceremony since 2016 – and was adorned in his lengthy crimson Robe of State and Admiral of the Fleet Royal Naval dress uniform.

Some 1,400 members of the armed forces took part in the first full military ceremony for a state opening since before Covid.

Charles and Camilla travelled in the Diamond State Coach amid great royal fanfare.

The Sovereign Procession also featured the Glass Coach ferrying the Queen’s Companions, and three state landaus, accompanied by a Sovereign’s Escort of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment.

In recent years, the late Queen Elizabeth II mostly opted for a dressed down state opening – a functional coat, day dress and hat rather than the weighty crown and robes, often with a lower key arrival by car.

The changes were adopted due to her decreasing mobility as she neared 100, coupled with the pandemic, back-to-back state openings due to a general election in 2019, and a diary clash with Ascot in 2017.

– King’s Speech

Charles is the first male monarch to open Parliament for more than 70 years, since his grandfather George VI in 1950.

It is now no longer the Queen’s Speech, but the King’s Speech instead.

Although Charles carried out the duty on his mother’s behalf last year when she was too frail to attend, it was a Queen’s Speech he read in the third person in 2022, with the words “Her Majesty’s Government” and “Her Majesty’s ministers”.

This year, now at the helm, he uttered there for the first time the words “my Government” and “my ministers”.

– Length

Running to 1,223 words, it was the longest opening speech since 2005, and took Charles, who delivered it slowly and steadily, 11 and a half minutes to read.

It was 349 words longer than last year’s speech, which took eight minutes and 45 seconds.

– Camilla

Queen Camilla is the first serving Queen consort to attend a state opening for more than 70 years, since Charles’s grandmother, the Queen Mother.

In keeping with tradition for a Queen consort, she did not wear a crown, but for the first time was seen in the famous George IV’s Diamond Diadem.

The late Queen often wore the priceless piece for her state openings.

– Coronation dress

Camilla kept to tradition by opting for an neutral ivory gown, but sustainably chose to re-wear her coronation gown.

The Bruce Oldfield couture coat dress is embroidered with motifs of her pet dogs Beth and Bluebell – most likely the first time a Queen’s animals have made an appearance in this way at a state opening.

– Holding hands

The Queen held the King’s hand as they moved through the House of Lords.

It is rare to see the couple do so but was reminiscent of the late Queen and Duke of Edinburgh at such occasions.

– No heir to the throne

The Prince of Wales was thousands of miles away in Singapore so missed his father’s first state opening as monarch.

Just minutes before the King was preparing to set out on his journey from the Palace, William stepped out on the green carpet at his Earthshot Prize ceremony.

Heirs to the throne often, but not always, attend the proceedings.

The Princess Royal was there though, reprising her previous role at the coronation of Gold Stick in Waiting, and a sign of her important duty supporting the King.

– Cyphers

The change in reign was depicted in the King’s cypher which featured on the uniforms of the State Trumpeters.

– Stairs

Charles and Camilla scaled the 26 steps at the Sovereign’s Entrance.

The late Queen stopped using the royal staircase in 2016, the year she turned 90, with Buckingham Palace saying the “modest adjustment” was made for her comfort.

– Reversing manoeuvre

It is the job of the Lord Chancellor to hand the speech to the monarch as they sit on their throne, with tradition dictating the minister walks backwards down the dais afterwards because turning their back on the monarch would be disrespectful.

The late Queen in recent years was concerned a sometimes elderly Lord Chancellor would trip and hurt themselves so the tradition was abandoned.

Lord Chancellor Alex Chalk, in his wig and gown, resurrected it for the King and deftly performed the reverse manoeuvre, stretching out his legs carefully to navigate the three wide steps while moving backwards.