King Charles and Queen Camilla Wear Historic Crowns for the State Opening of…see more

King Charles and Queen Camilla Wear Historic Crowns for the State Opening of Parliament
The formal start of the parliamentary year happened to fall on Queen Camilla’s 77th birthday

On July 17, coinciding with the Queen’s 77th birthday, the royal couple marked the formal start of the new parliamentary session. It comes just weeks after the Labour Party won the July 4 general election, making Kier Starmer the U.K.’s new prime minister.

Armed forces lined London’s streets for the procession from Buckingham Palace to the Houses of Parliament. King Charles, 75, and Queen Camilla traveled in the horse-drawn Diamond Jubilee State Coach, and the royal regalia — the Imperial State Crown, the Great Sword of State and the Cap of Maintenance — traveled in their own carriage, Queen Alexandra’s State Coach.

Shortly after arriving at around 11.15am, King Charles — in his uniform of Admiral of the Fleet Royal Naval Number 1 Dress with cap and sword — made his way into the Palace of Westminster through the Sovereign’s Entrance, where he was met by the Lord Great Chamberlain before heading to the Robing Room. There, he dressed in the Parliament Robe of State and the Imperial State Crown.

During the ceremony, King Charles delivered the King’s Speech, written by the government to outline its policies and proposed legislation for the new parliamentary session. Taking around 20 minutes, he had completed the speech by 11.50am U.K. time.