The State Opening of Parliament vs the State of the Union

Updated on June 4, 2014

     

Elizabeth II delivering the Queen's Speech at the State Opening of Parliament in 2013.

     Today, Queen Elizabeth II attended her 60th State Opening of Parliament and addressed the UK Parliament by reading the Queen's Speech from the Throne, where she outlined the priorities of Her Majesty's Government - the elected government of the day - for the coming year and commenced a new legislative session for Parliament.

President Obama delivering the State of the Union address in 2011.

     In the United States, the closest equivalent is the annual State of the Union, where the American president outlines the agenda of his Administration for the coming year in a speech to the US Congress. 

     Here, is a basic point-by-point outline of the how the two ceremonies - both of them full of pomp and pageantry - compare and contrast.

When and where are these state occasions held?

• The State of the Union is held at night in either late January or early February in the lower house of the United States Congress, the House of Representatives, with members of both the House and Senate, the Supreme Court, the Cabinet, and the military in attendance.

• The State Opening of Parliament is held during the day in early May in the upper house of the United Kingdom Parliament, the House of Lords, with members of the Lords and the House of Commons in attendance (though the Commons members stand in the back of the chamber).

What happens before the speech?

• Before the State of the Union, Members of Congress from both houses assemble in the House chamber before the President arrives. The Supreme Court justices, top military brass, members of the Cabinet, and the Vice President are introduced before the President walks down the center aisle to the dais.

• Before the State Opening of Parliament, members of the House of Lords and the House of Commons assemble in their respective chambers before the Queen arrives. When the Queen sits in the throne in the Lords chamber, the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod (usually only known as Black Rod) is sent to request the attendance of members of the Commons (including the Prime Minister) to the proceedings.

What happens during the proceedings?

• During the State of the Union, the President stands at a rostrum before the assembled Congress to read a speech written by him and his adviser's which spells out the legislative and policy priorities of the Administration for the coming year.

• During the State Opening of Parliament, the Queen sits in a throne before the assembled Parliament to read a speech (the Queen's Speech) written by the Prime Minister and his office, which outlines the elected Government's program for the new Parliamentary session.

What happens afterward?

• After the State of the Union, the President returns to the White House and an elected official from the opposition party gives a response to the address given by the President.

• After the State Opening of Parliament, the Queen returns to Buckingham Palace and the Prime Minister answers questions from members of the House of Commons regarding the Government's agenda.

Photo Credit: Blatant World via Flickr cc and Voice of America, the official external radio and TV broadcasting service of the U.S. federal government.