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Privacy NoticeParliamentary traditions can be strange, but did you know an MP is taken ‘hostage’ every time the King visits – and the same will happen today as the State Opening of Parliament gets underway. It might sound dramatic, but it’s just a tradition with historical roots. While the King is in Parliament, an MP, usually a Vice-Chamberlain of the Household, stays at Buckingham Palace until he returns. This dates back to the 1600s, when relations between Parliament and the Royal Family were slightly more strained, following Guy Fawkes’ failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605 where he and his supporters planned to blow up the Palace of Westminster when King James I arrived.
The King has attended the State Opening of Parliament for many years
(Image: No credit)
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The tradition is in place so that the King can be safely returned to the palace. The Parliament website even calls it a “reminder of the violence and intrigue historically surrounding relationships between the commons and the Crown.” This all stems from the rather tumultuous reign of Charles I. You know, the one who went head-to-head with Parliament in the English Civil War and lost his head in 1649. The war, which kicked off in 1642, saw supporters of the Crown and Parliament battle it out. Charles I’s attempts to, shall we say, ‘assert’ his authority didn’t go down well.
The King has attended the State Opening of Parliament for many years
(Image: 2023 Getty Images)
The Parliamentarian High Court of Justice accused him of being a bit of a tyrant and, well, off with his head! After a brief dalliance with republicanism, the monarchy was back in business. These days, Parliament and the monarchy are more likely to be seen sharing a cuppa than a battlefield. The King has a weekly catch-up with the Prime Minister. But, old habits die hard, and the hostage tradition persists, a quirky reminder of a more turbulent past. Former Labour MP Jim Fitzpatrick shared a remarkable experience of having been asked to be Queen Elizabeth II’s hostage once. Opening up on the BBC, he said: “I could do absolutely anything I wanted in Buckingham Palace, I could wander around, I could have a gin and tonic… they didn’t actually lock me up but they made it clear I wasn’t going anywhere.”
The State Opening of Parliament falls on Queen Camilla’s 77th birthday
(Image: Getty Images)
The State Opening of Parliament today falls on Queen Camilla’s 77th birthday. “It’s not the tip-top way she would choose to be spending her birthday,” one close friend told the Daily Mail, “but you won’t ever hear a single word of complaint. About anything, really. For someone who wasn’t born into the Royal Family, she’s got an extraordinarily strong sense of duty and the temperament to cope.”Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterCommentMore OnRoyal FamilyKing Charles IIIQueen Elizabeth IIQueen Camilla
