The most subtle and symbolic relationship within the constitutional and political framework of Great Britain is that between sovereignty and Parliament, where sovereignty actually resides. when blackrod (Usier Knight of the Black Cane) addresses the House of Commons to announce that the monarchy (monarchy, for 70 years) has arrived at the Palace of Westminster and will announce speech -until now, Queen’s Speech—, which in practice is nothing more than the government’s legislative agenda, tradition orders a face-slam. …

The most subtle and symbolic relationship within the constitutional and political framework of Great Britain is that between sovereignty and Parliament, where sovereignty actually resides. when blackrod (Usier Knight of the Black Cane) addresses the House of Commons to announce that the monarchy (monarchy, for 70 years) has arrived at the Palace of Westminster and will announce speech -until now, Queen’s Speech—, which in practice is nothing more than the government’s legislative agenda, tradition orders a face-slam. They only agree to open after you press up to three times with the staff. This is a way of making it clear that no king is above the representatives of the people.

This Monday, Parliament will not accept Carlos III with a slam. Accompanied by the empress, Camila, the new king will hear a speech from speaker (President) House of Commons and the President of the House of Lords. And he will address both legislatures, for the first time as monarch, to reaffirm before them the commitments outlined in his first statement. Only on one previous occasion had he addressed deputies and nobles: on May 10, standing in for his mother, whose “mobility problems” prevented her from fulfilling one of her most serious annual obligations.

This would be a very relevant moment, but hardly bracketed in the complete freeze caused by the death of Elizabeth II, as well as the scheduled official duel, in the country’s parliamentary and political life. Never mind that a prime minister has arrived in Downing Street, Liz Truss, who still stirs up a lot of uncertainty, and who is obligated, since she took office last Tuesday, to quickly lay out her plans to stop the impending recession and energy crisis. crisis. Never mind that the Labor opposition has prepared a formidable strategy to undermine the Government, and that it has focused on its next annual congress in Liverpool (a political conference, called in the jargon of British parties), to warm up the engines, with some polls showing an advantage over of the top 10 percentage points conservative. All that was in the past, until Monday, September 19, when the state funeral was held, and London received over a million visitors and hundreds of dignitaries from around the world.

Eight days to mourn the queen

Monday, September 12

Elizabeth II died in Scotland. A nation that has a special relationship with the royal family. Paradoxically, a region with growing separatist homesickness symbolizes more than any other Windsor’s ties to tradition. Carlos III was to embark on a short tour of the four corners of the Union there: his official residence was in England, but the king wanted to make appearances in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Edinburgh, with his wife, he will attend a service, with the present casket of Elizabeth II, which had arrived from Balmoral the day before, in San Gil cathedral.

Tuesday, September 13th

Carlos III and Queen Camila will travel to Belfast. At Hillsborough Castle, his official Northern Ireland residence, he will hold meetings with political representatives from the region and a select group of members of Northern Irish society. Due to the paralysis caused by unions due to the Northern Ireland Protocol signed between London and Brussels, there is currently no appointed chief minister. Following her recent electoral victory, Sinn Féin candidate Michelle O’Neill, the party that was for years the political arm of the IRA, will fill the position. The leadership of the republican party had confirmed his presence at the planned event for Carlos III’s visit, and had asked his followers to express respect by mourning the death of Isabel II. That handshake, in 2012, between Martin McGuinness, former head of the IRA and one of the actors in the peace agreement, and the queen, will go down in the region’s history as one of those moments where something changed for the better. .

At six in the afternoon (seven in the afternoon, Spanish peninsula time), a plane was to move Elizabeth II’s coffin from Edinburgh to Northolt air base, near London. His body will soon arrive at Buckingham Palace. The king and his wife are already there to welcome you.

Wednesday, September 14 – Sunday, September 18

Wednesday will be the day of the procession carrying Elizabeth II’s coffin, which is draped in the royal banner, to Westminster Hall, the solemn hall of the oldest buildings that make up the Palace of Parliament. There is Winston Churchill’s coffin, and historic banquets have been held there, such as those hosted by Nelson Mandela or Barack Obama on their state visits. Until Sunday, for five days, hundreds of thousands of citizens could come to say goodbye in person to the king. George VI, father of the queen, said goodbye to 300,000 people. Buckingham Palace’s tally this time put the figure at over half a million.

In the coffin the queen will be placed state crown (Crownfor lovers of the Netflix series), the crown worn by Elizabeth II at her coronation in 1953.

On Thursday and Friday, Charles III will visit Wales, and the weekend will be dedicated to attending to international dignitaries and other members of the royal family who have arrived in London.

Monday, September 19

Declared a national holiday, it will be the last day of a long period of mourning. At half past eight in the morning (half nine, Spanish peninsula time) the funeral chapel will close. Half an hour later Big Ben will sound. Soon, your hammer mallet will be covered in a thick leather sheath so that all day long chimes will have a dull, muffled sound.

At 10:30 a.m. (11:30 a.m. on the peninsula), the casket will be moved by straps – the same that carried Lady Di’s body – to Westminster Abbey. At 11.00 am the funeral will begin with about 2,000 guests in attendance. An hour of worship later, the casket will return to the harmonium, and will tour, before hundreds of thousands of people, Parliament Square, Whitehall, Constitution Hill, The Mall and, finally, Wellington Arch.

From there he will travel, for the final service, to Windsor Castle. Elizabeth II will be buried that afternoon in St. George, with her husband Philip from Edinburgh.

On Tuesday, under the new government, the political emergency frozen by the death of Elizabeth II will return to Parliament and public debate.

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