Queen: Single golden throne placed in House of Lords

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The death of Prince Philip and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic have marked significant changes to today’s State Opening of Parliament. During today’s stripped-down ceremony, the monarch arrived in her royal car rather than on her carriage in full robes.

Entering the House of Lords accompanied by her son Prince Charles, the Queen passed a reduced number of peers sitting on their benches.

And, for the first time in her record-breaking reign, the monarch sat alone under the golden canopy.

Over the past seven decades, during the State Opening of Parliament, there had been two thrones in the House of Lords, one for the monarch and one for her consort.

Even after August 2017, when Prince Philip resigned from public duties, his throne was left under the canopy and occupied by Prince Charles, who replaced his father in accompanying the Queen to Westminster.

Today, however, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall sat next to one another on two state chairs removed from the canopy while the monarch sat by herself on the throne. 

BBC journalist Huw Edwards, noting the removal of the consort’s throne ahead of the ceremony, said: “Possibly the most striking change is this – it’s a single throne under that great golden canopy.

“There used to be a pair of thrones for the Queen and her consort.

“This is where the Queen will be delivering her speech. 

“The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall will sit on the side.” 

Today marks the Queen’s first public engagement outside of her home in Windsor since the funeral of Prince Philip on April 17. 

The Queen’s arrival was preceded by the arrival of the the Imperial State Crown.

The monarch would normally wear the Imperial State Crown only on ceremony featuring the full regalia.

However, the monarch stopped wearing this precious jewel, with which she was crowned Queen in 1953, a few years ago even during normal State Opening of Parliament ceremonies because of its hefty weight.

The monarch also arrived after Prince Charles and Camilla, who travelled from their London home, Clarence House, in a separate royal car rather than share one with the Queen as it normally happens.

During the State Opening of Parliament, the sovereign was the only person not wearing a face covering, having to deliver the Queen’s Speech.  

Despite its name, the speech is not written by the monarch but by the Government, and it sets up its plans to be put into law over the coming year. 

To reach the House of Lords, the Queen departed from Buckingham Palace – her official residence in London.

The monarch has not lived at her London palace since March 19 last year, a few days before the first national lockdown was issued.

However, today was not the first time she returned to Buckingham Palace. 

Late last year, on the same day she travelled to London from Windsor Castle to pay tribute to the Unknown Warrior, the monarch visited her palace, as noted by royal commentator Rebecca English.

She wrote on Twitter: “It is the first time the Queen has conducted an engagement outside of Windsor Castle since her husband died – and only the second time she has been at Buckingham Palace since she retreated to Windsor in March last year during the first lockdown.

“She briefly visited her London residence when she travelled to London to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior at Westminster Abbey last November.”  

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