The House of Lords in the United Kingdom's Houses of Parliament, is a much more ornate and elaborate chamber than the House of Commons. At its front end there is, after all, the Sovereign's Throne with its gilded Canopy, from where the monarch opens each new parliamentary session, in a formal ceremony called the State Opening of Parliament. The British Parliament is composed of the Sovereign, the House of Lords and the House of Commons, and a State Opening is the only routine occasion when the three are gathered together in one place. No business of either House of Parliament (the House of Lords or the House of Commons) can proceed until the Sovereign’s speech has been delivered. The first order of business of a State Opening of Parliament is to check the cellars to ensure that it doesn't have any bombs in it — this is a tradition that has carried on after the original failed gun powder plot of 1605.

For the State Opening of Parliament, the brass rails delimiting the throne room are removed, and the Sovereign occupies the throne in the central of the three compartments. A second slightly smaller throne is installed alongside the principal throne in the central compartment when the sovereign's consort is present. The consort’s throne, which was first installed in 1901 for Queen Alexandra, is in the care of the Lord Great Chamberlain the Marquess of Cholmondeley for safekeeping. The throne usually remains at the Marquess’ Houghton Hall home in Norfolk unless needed at the state opening.


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