The State Opening of Parliament is one of the most magnificent ceremonial occasions in the British calendar - and at its heart, the Household Cavalry play a central and historic role.

Each year, as Parliament begins its new session, the Monarch travels in procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster. It is the Household Cavalry who lead the way: over one hundred troopers form the Sovereign’s Escort, riding alongside the Irish State Coach as it carries the King to the Palace of Westminster.

Photo: Staff Sergeant Adrien Harlen RLC / UK MOD © Crown copyright. Licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. 

The Procession

Ahead of the main procession comes a second coach, usually Queen Alexandra’s State Coach, escorted by six Household Cavalry troopers. This coach carries the Imperial State Crown, the Sword of State, and the Cap of Maintenance, collected from the Tower of London for the occasion.

Upon arrival at the Sovereign’s Entrance at the base of the Victoria Tower, the Monarch is greeted by the Lord Great Chamberlain and the Earl Marshall, before proceeding to the Robing Room to don the Imperial State Crown and Robe of State.

The Staircase Party

Once robed, the Monarch leads the Royal Procession up the Royal Staircase — and here the Household Cavalry’s ceremonial role reaches its most striking expression. Troopers from both regiments, the Life Guards and the Blues and Royals, line the staircase in full dress uniform with swords drawn, forming what is known as the Staircase Party.

Photo: Sgt Rob Kane / UK MOD © Crown copyright 2023. Licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. 

This is one of the great privileges of the Household Cavalry: as the Sovereign’s personal bodyguard, they hold the unique right to bear arms within the Royal Palaces — a distinction that sets them apart from every other regiment in the British Army.

The procession then continues through the Royal Gallery — lined with some 600 guests — to the chamber of the House of Lords, where the Monarch delivers the King’s Speech, setting out the Government’s legislative agenda for the coming parliamentary session.

From escort to staircase, the Household Cavalry’s presence at the State Opening is a living expression of a tradition stretching back centuries — a reminder that duty, ceremony, and service remain at the heart of regimental life.