Yeoman of the Guard searching for gunpowder, Black Rod banging on the Commons door, and a royal procession: How Charles will deliver the first King’s Speech since 1950 during …

Black Rod had the House of Commons door slammed in her face in line with ancient tradition today before she demanded MPs’ presence in the House of Lords to hear the King’s Speech.

Sarah Clarke, who became the first female holder of the office in its 650-year history when she was appointed in 2018, banged on the closed door three times with her ceremonial staff.

Once the door was opened again, the official – accompanied by the Commons’ Serjeant-at-Arms Ugbana Oyet – told a packed chamber: ‘Mr Speaker, the King commands this honourable House to attend Her Majesty immediately in the House of Peers’. 

Led by Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle, MPs then filed to the Lords to hear what was the first King’s Speech in the chamber since a sickly George VI opened Parliament in 1950. 

His Majesty and Queen Camilla had travelled to Westminster in a royal procession from Buckingham Palace in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach, with the Imperial State Crown being carried in front of them. 

In his speech, King Charles opened with a tribute to his ‘beloved’ mother before he laid out the Government’s policy programme. He spoke of Her Majesty’s ‘legacy of service and devotion’ with his wife Queen Camilla next to him

The symbolism had kicked off early, when Yeomen of the Guard arrived at 9am to ‘search’ the Palace of Westminster – a tradition stretching back to the infamous Gunpowder Plot of 1605.

Black Rod had the House of Commons door slammed in her face in line with ancient tradition today before she demanded MPs’ presence in the House of Lords to hear the King’s Speech. Sarah Clarke, who became the first female holder of the office in its 650-year history when she was appointed in 2018, banged on the closed door three times with her ceremonial staff

Once the door was opened again, the official – accompanied by the Commons’ Serjeant-at-Arms Ugbana Oyet – told a packed chamber: ‘Mr Speaker, the King commands this honourable House to attend Her Majesty immediately in the House of Peers’

Black Rod with Speaker Lindsay Hoyle as they begin walking out of the House of Commons to the Lords 

In his speech, the King opened with a tribute to his mother before he laid out the Government’s policy programme 

In Parliament, Charles donned the Imperial State Crown, his lengthy crimson Robe of State and Admiral of the Fleet Royal Naval dress uniform.

Camilla, wearing the famous George IV State Diadem for the first time, has chosen to re-use her coronation gown, designed by Bruce Oldfield, for her first State Opening as a Queen consort.

Who is Black Rod? 

Black Rod is the senior official responsible for maintaining order at the House of Lords.

The most recognised task is banging on the door of the House of Commons with a ceremonial staff during the annual State Opening of Parliament to summon MPs to hear the Queen’s Speech.

To symbolise the primacy of the Commons, the door is slammed in Black Rod’s face, and the holder of the office is required to bang three times before the door is opened.

Black Rod acts as secretary to the Lord Great Chamberlain, with responsibility for major ceremonial events in the Palace of Westminster.

The position is appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of a selection panel chaired by the Lord Speaker.

The earliest known reference to Black Rod’s role in the State Opening of Parliament stretches back to 1641, when the then Black Rod entered the Commons without his rod and without being called in.

Furious MPs took exception to this behaviour, sparking the tradition that continues to this day. 

The role of Black Rod is far older. The earliest reference to it -as the Usher to the Order of the Garter – is in letters patent from 1361.  

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.

It has been seven years since a monarch wore the Imperial State Crown at a State Opening, the last time being in 2016.

Containing 2,868 diamonds, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, five rubies and 269 pearls, it weighs more than a kilogramme.

Charles wore the crown on his return journey to Buckingham Palace after his coronation.

Some 1,400 members of the armed forces played a part in the proceedings in the first full military ceremony for a State Opening since before Covid.

Gun salutes were fired from Green Park and the Tower of London, with troops from the Army, RAF and Royal Navy lining the route and the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment including 124 horses providing a Sovereign’s Escort.

It is not the first time the King has undertaken the important constitutional duty of opening Parliament.

In 2022, as the Prince of Wales, he read the Queen’s Speech, with Elizabeth II delegating the task of opening Parliament to Charles and the then-Duke of Cambridge in their roles as counsellors of state in a historic move.

She pulled out of attending on the advice of royal doctors due to her continued mobility problems, and died four months later at the age of 96.

The late Queen stopped using the 26 steps of the royal staircase at the Sovereign’s Entrance at the opening in 2016, the year she turned 90, with Buckingham Palace saying the ‘modest adjustment’ was made for her comfort.

But the King – who is a week away from his 75th birthday and has just returned from a busy tour to Kenya, and Queen Camilla – returned to using the stairs.

In 1950, King George addressed MPs and Lords amid Britain’s involvement in the Korean War.

Sarah Clarke, Black Rod, walks through the House of Commons Members’ Lobby during the State Opening of Parliament

His Majesty and Queen Camilla travelled to Westminster from Buckingham Palace in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach, with the Imperial State Crown being carried in front of them 

Members of the Household Cavalry stand guard at the Norman Porch ahead of the State Opening of Parliament

Camilla, wearing the famous George IV State Diadem for the first time, has chosen to re-use her coronation gown, designed by Bruce Oldfield, for her first State Opening as a Queen consort. Right: The Queen wearing the diadem in 2015

The Imperial State Crown arrives at the Sovereign’s Entrance to the Palace of Westminster ahead of the State Opening of Parliament

The Imperial State Crown is transported by horse-drawn carriage from Buckingham Palace to the Houses of Parliament

The Imperial State Crown arrives at the Sovereign’s Entrance to the Palace of Westminster

King Charles is seen as a chubby-cheeked toddler as he stood on the wall at Clarence House, blowing kisses to his mother and grandparents as he watched the procession for the State Opening of Parliament in 1950

Due to his increasing ill health, the last time that King George VI opened Parliament was in 1950. Above: The King with Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, on their way to Parliament for the State Opening

On behalf of the Government, which was then led by Labour PM Clement Attlee, he said: ‘The avoidance of war remains the supreme desire of My Ministers, and under this new peril they will seek by all means in their power to ensure the success of the measures for rearmament which they have taken.’

The King spoke of the ‘necessary’ increases in defence production and was confident the country would play ‘its full part in the defence of freedom and the preservation of peace.’

He added: ‘In Korea forces, for the first time under the flag of the United Nations, are overcoming the invaders. 

‘The success of this historic action in which My Forces are playing their part marks a decisive moment in world affairs, and is arousing fresh hopes of achieving a united, free and democratic Korea. 

‘It has already given proof of the ability of the United Nations to meet a threat to world peace.’

The following year, King George was too ill to open Parliament and so his speech was read by the Lord High Chancellor. 

By 1952, Charles’s mother was on the throne after George’s death in February of that year.

The prince, by then the heir apparent, was almost four at the time of the Queen’s first State Opening of Parliament.

The Queen, in her diadem, was photographed having a private word with her eldest son, learning over to speak to him as he looked up at her, on the steps of the Buckingham Palace quadrangle.

In 1967, just before his 19th birthday, Charles took part in a State Opening procession for the first time, travelling in a carriage with his sister Princess Anne and the Queen.

The Princess Royal will play a role in Tuesday’s state opening. As Colonel of the Blues and Royals, she will be in attendance as Gold Stick in Waiting, and will travel in the state landau.

Heir to the throne the Duke of Cambridge is away on a royal trip to Singapore and no other members of the royal family are expected to be present.

Camilla’s couture coronation dress – embroidered with motifs of her pet dogs and the names of her grandchildren – is a tailored ivory, coat-like dress, woven with antique gold and silver thread.

The late Queen reused her own coronation gown to open parliaments in Sri Lanka, Australia and New Zealand in 1954 and Canada in 1957.

Camilla also wore the 5.5 metre-long crimson Robe of State, made for Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953, which she wore for her arrival at the coronation.

The Diamond Diadem was worn countless times by Elizabeth II during her reign and is probably the most well recognised of all her pieces of jewellery.

Set with 1,333 brilliant-cut diamonds, it was made for George IV’s extravagant coronation in 1821 and Elizabeth II usually wore it for her journey to and from the State Opening.

She appeared wearing it on coins, banknotes and postage stamps.

The tradition of the ceremonial searching of Parliament dates back to the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, when Catholic conspirators led by Robert Catesby tried to murder King James I.

Yeoman warders take part in the ceremonial search inside the House of Lords this morning

Yeomen of the Guard continue a tradition stretching back to the 17th century as they search Parliament today

The search has been carried out ever since the Gunpowder Plot of 1605

The symbolism kicked off early, when Yeomen of the Guard arrived at 9am to ‘search’ the Palace of Westminster – a tradition stretching back to the infamous Gunpowder Plot of 1605, which was marked just two days ago with Bonfire Night

In a story that is now echoed every year on Bonfire Night, the plotters had planned to blow up Parliament with gunpowder on the day of the State Opening.

Guy Fawkes was the plotter tasked with guarding the gunpowder that was hidden in a rented undercroft beneath the House of Lords.

The plot was foiled when an anonymous letter of warning was sent to one of the lords due to attend the state opening.

During a search of Parliament’s cellars, Fawkes was caught and – along with nearly all of his co-conspirators – executed. 

Sarah Clarke, Black Rod, bangs on the doors to the house of commons at the beginning of the State Opening of Parliament last year 

Queen Elizabeth II at the State Opening of Parliament in 2021 – the last time she oversaw the occasion

Queen Elizabeth II in 1952, en route to the first State Opening of Parliament of her reign

King Charles attended the State Opening for the first time in 1967 (above)

King George V and Queen Mary arrive at the House of Lords for the State Opening of Parliament in 1922

At the State Opening in 1952, the Queen spoke of King George VI’s ‘selfless devotion to his duties’ and said it would be her ‘constant endeavour’ to follow that standard.

The Queen was following in the footsteps of King George V, who at the State Opening in 1911 spoke of the ‘grievous loss’ of his father Edward VII. 

When the King prorogued Parliament last month, he spoke warmly of his mother.

In a royal address delivered by Lord True, he said: ‘My thoughts turn first to my beloved mother, the late Queen.

‘I wish to thank you for the sympathy and support that has been extended to my family and myself from across both Houses of Parliament, the nation and beyond.

‘My mother set an example of selfless dedication and devotion to the United Kingdom and wider Commonwealth during her long reign, an example to which I rededicated my own life of public service at my accession a little over a year ago. 

‘I remain deeply grateful to the expressions of loyalty which were offered at that time.’