King Charles arrives at Westminster Hall for special visit
The monarch appeared in excellent spirits as he arrived at Westminster Hall this afternoon. King Charles received a royal welcome, as he was met at the North Door by Lord Carrington, the Lord Great Chamberlain, and Sarah Clarke, the Lady Usher of the Black Rod. After he headed inside Westminster Hall, the sovereign was presented to the Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle and the Lord Speaker, Lord McFall of Alcluith, among other dignitaries.
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The arrival of the sovereign was marked by a rendition of the national anthem, sung in unison by – among others – Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and the Leader of the Opposition, Sir Keir Starmer.
The monarch later joined a pre-Coronation reception, attended by some 800 members of the Houses of Parliament.
During the high-profile event, the monarch had the chance to meet groups of representatives from both houses with shared interests in agriculture, business and communities among other issues.
Queen Camilla, who will be crowned next to the sovereign at Westminster Abbey on Saturday, joined the reception later in the afternoon at the Palace of Westminster.
During the event, the Queen Consort had the opportunity to meet parliamentarians with interests close to Her Majesty’s heart, including literacy, domestic violence and osteoporosis.
During the reception, the Speaker’s Coach was on display. This historic carriage is believed to be the earliest surviving English coach in the UK, thought to have been made for King William II and Queen Mary II in around 1698.
The coach represents a link between Parliament and past coronations, and is thought to have been given to the Speaker by Queen Anne in 1702.
This coach was used for the processions at the coronations of the four sovereigns crowned before King Charles – King Edward VII, King George V, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II.
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