KING Charles is due to give his King’s Speech today and the Black Rod will be sent from the Lord's Chamber to the Commons to summon MPs for the State Opening of Parliament.
The King’s Speech will mark the official beginning of Keir Starmer’s Labour Government and the sitting of Parliament.
The speech is expected to include around 35 bills, trumping Rishi Sunak’s speech on November 7 which featured only 21 bills, and will outline the new government’s plans.
What does Black Rod do?
The Black Rod is a senior official position in the House of Lords, and they are responsible for maintaining order and organising ceremonial events within Westminster.
They also manage a team of 30 staff involved in the day-to-day running of the House of Lords.
The position’s name comes from the three-and-a-half-foot ebony staff topped with a golden lion that the post holder carries.
As the King’s representative in Parliament, the Black Rod’s ceremonial duty is to summon MPs to go and listen to the King’s Speech in the Lord's Chamber.
To symbolise the Commons’ independence from the monarch, the doors of the Chamber are closed on the Black Rod, and they then knock on the door three times with the ebony staff.
MPs then follow the Black Rod into the Lord's Chamber to listen to King Charles outline the Government’s legislative programme.
Who is Black Rod?
Sarah Clarke was appointed Lady Usher of the Black Rod back in 2017 and officially took on the role in 2018.
She is the first female holder of the position in its 650-year history.
