Queen Elizabeth II opened Parliament today. It’s a thing that happens every damn year but every year, I guess people tune in to see the Queen look grumpy AF in a full state-ceremony gown (in the middle of the day!). For decades, the Queen wore the Imperial State Crown to the opening of Parliament, but in recent years, the crown is literally too heavy for her head, so she opts for the Diamond Diadem tiara. That’s what she wore today. But because people come to see the actual CROWN, the crown had to come along too. Did… the crown… travel in its own carriage? I think it did. And check out this fussy crown business:
The Imperial State Crown, seen only at coronations and state openings of Parliament, arrives at the Palace of Westminster ahead of the Queen's Speech setting out the government's agenda
Live updates: https://t.co/OBWG03YSmt pic.twitter.com/MqoVihLbx6
— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) October 14, 2019
The BBC commentary really sells this. The crown gets ANOTHER cushion when it’s inside. Bless it. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure that all of this pomp and custom has a purpose. But from the outside looking in, my lord. British peeps, how can you stand it? Anyway, the Queen looked…small and tired. Charles looked fine. I spy Camilla off to the side too, looking bored.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
I believe the dude carrying the crown on the cushion is David Rocksavage Cholmondeley, aka Marquess of Cholmondeley and aka The husband of “Rose Who?”.
Oh snap you’re kidding! That is great trivia.
I was coming to say that. Its Mr Rose Who?
Just putting imaginary thought bubbles over the Queen’s head “David, this won’t do, one must keep one’s business in one’s own rose garden” or “bloody hell if he doesn’t cheer his wife up I’ll have to give Kate another medal.”
Is he wearing some sort of glove?? His hand looks like he’s turning into Groot.
It’s hideous what is that, I’m really hoping it’s a glove.
It’s his hand…veins are showing. Could have poor circulation.
He has the longest thumb I’ve ever seen in my life.
It is as this is his role
I don’t want to disrespect anyone, but to me this looks ridiculous and over the top. Were the wigs necessary? I like seeing tiaras and crowns, and people wearing fancy attires but this is too much.
I think there are certain groups of people who find this kind of stuff admirable, but a lot of comments I’m seeing about this ceremony has not been positive.
I do like the pomp and circumstances of it all. I particularly like it when the door to the House of Commons is slammed in Black Rob’s face as a sign of its independence. As the monarch’s emissary, in this case, s/he must then knock on the door, wait for the invitation to enter, and then request their attendance in the House of Lords to ultimately be addressed by the reigning monarch.
I like the history, the tradition and the pomp and circumstances. I also love watching the US President’s State of the Union Address for its theater too.
There is a benefit to tradition, but tradition for tradition’s sake runs the risk of being restrictive.
100%, Sof. They all look absurd, especially the Queen’s santa claus cape…
is that david rocksavage carrying the crown??
@olive, See my comment above.
I recognized him… I’d love to get an ID on the ladies behind Camilla. Who knows their royals?
Those are the Queen’s Ladies in Waiting, particularly the Woman of the Bedchamber and Lady of the Bedchamber. So, Lady Susan Hussey and Baroness Farnham. I need to take another look but I’m sure that’s Lady Hussey. I’d need to take another look to positively ID Baroness Farnham.
The sheer opulence of this all seems so inappropriate given today’s glaring problems with disparity between the privileged classes and the majority of the world. Obviously, I don’t mean to be a party pooper here and I do understand it’s a custom…just somehow feels so wrong to see someone wearing this much wealth on them.
It’s not just the wealth, but the anachronistic idea of inherited power that seems out of place in this century.
I will never forget when at work, I was speaking to two Indian men and I commented on the beautiful jewels India gifted to England. They both, in unison, said: we didn’t gift anything, they TOOK.
I really think the Queen needs to hang up her crown and just give it all over to Charles. Mind you, at his age I’m not sure I’d want to be dealing with it all anyway.
England didn’t gift anything to these people either, they took it all here too. All this ‘they give up the income of the crown estates to the government’, where did they get the crown estates from? – they invaded and took it.
#abolishthemonarchy
Have you read the article written by Norman Baker on the DM about the Windsor’s shady ways of getting richer and richer over the years? I know the DM carries a lot of backlash, but this guy is actually an ex MP, a serious guy, and most importantly: he has the receipts. Is a well written article and an very interesting reading for those who want to know more
@clay do you have a link to the article?
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7566439/Where-did-Princess-Margaret-20m-Queen-mothers-70m-legacy.html
Same here… give us the link please?
Thanks, BTB!
Thanks for the link, will definitely read.
thanks baytampabay for providing the link. I’m late, as always, sorry.
This is why I think Charles will continue to protect Andrew legally, even after the Queen dies. There are certainly other members of the royal family with shady financial dealings, and Charles won’t want to set a precedent that allows members of the royal family to be subpoenaed, sued, or criminally charged. I also think Charles will continue to fund his siblings, including Andrew, for the rest of their lives but cut off their children from further support (to cut off Andrew, the younger son of the Monarch, would mean Harry must be cut off too – so I don’t think Charles will do that). People who think Andrew will be hung out to dry after the Queen dies, are dreaming. It’s not gonna happen.
What a strange life it must be.
poor old Queenie, she must be bored senseless of this by now.
I do sort of enjoy this, the historical aspect and pomp. Mostly because I don’t mind TQ. If this were Smug William I would have a different opinion.
I went to the Tower of London a few years ago and saw the Crown Jewels. Although they seem so opulent and way over the edge by today’s standards, they are works of art. Quite lovely.
I was coming to say this, too. When I was in London, I did the Tower Tour, and the jewels ARE impressive to look at. You almost have to put on sunglasses against the sparkle 😊
Then it made me think just how many people could be fed, given medical help, housed etc. if these were “sold”. I know they’re part of history, and have great significance, but wow…
The only people today who could afford to buy those jewels are shady oligarchs, vulgar tech billionaires and petro dictators. They’re better off where they are. You’d have to loot a national treasury to fund those.
I haven’t seen these but I have seen the Crown Jewels of Scotland. Stunning work of art.
That 9-10 minutes that the Queen’s speech took (9-10 minutes that people who’ve tuned in will never get back) was eloquent proof that a 5 week prorogation was a malicious, unlawful misuse of prerogative power to avoid Parliamentary scrutiny.
Two days tops to organise some pointless, expensive flummery and a couple of hours tops to cut-and-paste the script for that party political broadcast.
I cannot stand the lying, cheating bastard that is boris johnson and hope he gets removed from office seeing as he will never voluntarily resign. Having watched celebrities: the hunted where stanley johnson is taking part, I now know where boris got his ‘smarts’ from.
Everytime TQ started a sentence with ‘my ministers’ I expected her snap and to just say ‘can all go and feck themselves, the bloody morons’.
Oh, I live for that day!
How do we stand it? Large numbers (myself included) don’t watch.
I have seen the Crown Jewels and they are very beautiful. No need to turn in every year for this.
What a face! She looks well and truly over it.
Watched it earlier and Boris was so smugged throughout.
The dress she’s wearing is gorgeous. Look at all that silver threadwork. Just beautiful.
She looks ridiculous and anachronistic. Very distasteful in today’s world.
It’s time this outdated and oldfashioned Monarchy changes and Charles takes over. However the courtiers are eager to keep the Queen “running” and to avoid a King Charles, since they fear for their jobs in a streamlined Monarchy. They would rather give the crown from the Queen straight to William, since he will most likely not “disturb” them in their work and they know how to deal with William.
I am anticipation of Charles III and cannot wait. I hope Charles and Camilla drain the swamp.
The way she got sold down the river over the prorogation of PArliament, she should have said “stuff you lot I’m not coming to Parliament until you have got Brexit sorted”
Love the tiara.
Lol. Stupid. I never really watched the royal family pomp but ever since the whole pedo and andrew thing or the royal reporters getting so angry over the biracial woman who dared to grace their presence, it’s so stupid. Why anyone would want to pay for these people who won the v@gina lottery is beyond me. You do you england 👍
My first thought was that she looks like cruella DeVille with a dalmation cape.
It is very anachronistic. It’s hard to imagine will and Kate doing this one day.
Does he have a glove on or something? It seriously looks like a skeleton hand.